RED
by Delta Wish
Summary: [OUTDATED] AU, "There are so many people out there, so many wonderful, glorious, brilliant people, and they're better than you!"
1. A Note Left Behind

**AN: READ THIS BEFORE CONTINUING. I WILL NOT ANSWER DUMBASS QUESTIONS IF I'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THEM HERE. Thank you.**

Now that that's out of the way, I am going to outline a few key concepts. My readers from the first time around should know that I like to talk alot, so bear with me. I'll try to make this quick.

This is RED, my first Death Note fanfiction. It was finished Febuary of last year (holy shit it's been a year!), but as I continued to expand I became dissatisfied with my own quality of work. Sorry it took so long, I have been majorly distracted, and have been struggling with motivation and/or writer's block. I'm almost done now, but I feel confident enough to start posting the early chapters. For those of you who've already read the story, there is new content and I've changed up some events (dudes, I've completely rewritten chapters). The format is also a lot better, and I've filled in a lot of plot holes, cleared up the unnessesary angst and gave my OC's more character development. I've changed a few names: Toshiro is now Makoto, because everytime I saw his previous name I flinched because when I created his character I was too lazy to come up with a name so ... Bleach fans will understand. Mr. Helver, the FBI agent, is now Mr. Andrews, because I made up his last name before and it sounded lame.

Now, before the new readers close the window, yes, this is a story focused on an OC. She's my main character and will remain the main character. So let me say this:

The only pairings are cannon ones (marriges and such) and a pairing between my two minor OC's, as my previous readers know from the ending. ;-;

This story is my way of ... changing the course of Death Note, as my motivation, more than a year ago, was to write a story in which L DOESN'T FREAKING DIE. He's one of my favorite characters ... ever, and I was very upset when I had to watch his death.

Speaking of which, I haven't really bothered to read the manga, seeing as I already know the story really well. I watched the anime, and I watched it in ENGLISH. YEAH, that's RIGHT, I WATCHED THE DEATH NOTE DUB. If you got a problem with that, you can kiss my ass. So in the first good number of chapters I will directly quote the show, because the plot for this story doesn't change much from the origional show until Misa's arrival. This is fanfiction, so I didn't feel the need to completely rewrite the entire show. I've tried to keep this as realistic as possible though.

This said, I'm Canadian and really lazy, so I haven't bothered reading up on Japanese law. So there are some laws (like the legal drinking age) that I have no idea about over there, so I'm going to bullshit my way through that. Same with the whole premise of hacking. This is fanfiction, not a book that I'm going to publish, so I think I have the right to bullshit some scenes. I mean, it could very well be MUCH worse. The naming conventions will also be in english format, so first names are first and no suffixes, and Light will be Light and not Raito.

Next, there's something key that I have to adress before I continue. THIS IS** IMPORTANT**, SO READ THIS NEXT BIT BEFORE COMPLAINING.

In this story I've played a lot with many of the elements in the origional story itself. One such example is the Shinigami eyes. When I first wrote this I hadn't watched the second season in a long time, because hey, I wasn't as big of a fan of that story arc. The eyes in this fic only show the name and lifespan of a person if they meet them in person (through glasses, windows or binoculars are fine), or they see a LIVE recording. By the time I'd realized that I'd fucked them up last time, it was too late, so I decided to screw the rules and went along with it. Get it? Good. Another thing I've messed with is some minor rules to the Death Note, which you'll see later on.

To my readers who've stuck with me this past ... what, year and a half, I thank you for being patient with me, because I'm so lazy and I procrastinate and ... well, yeah. CRIMSON will go back up eventually, but since I have three major writing projects other than that one (plus school and work to attend to), don't count on it being up for a while.

Someone mentioned to me last time that they'd found a theme song for my main character, and I thought that was pretty awesome. The songs that I really listen to when writing this are generally the Death Note themes (including the soundtrack), plus different music from people of heavier rock or people like Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Mainly Pink Floyd and Radiohead. I've even picked out a themesong for this fic, if anyone is interested (you probably aren't), it's 'Just', by Radiohead. You should check that out.

I write the peoms at the beginning of the chapters, thank you.

I think that covers everything ... Thanks for reading this uber long (and probably misspelled) author's note! I'd give you cake, but I like pie better, so have some virtual Pumpkin Pie.

Your not dead and now red-headed Author, who's super excited about this,

_- Delta Wish_

**P.S.** I will be posting a new chapter every few days or so, so I won't keep you too long. This is to give people time to comment, and I'm just a lazy troll sometimes.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One - <strong>_A Note Left Behind_

_Tears,  
><em>_They fall,  
><em>_Like the ever falling rain._

_ Blood,  
>I<em>_t flows,  
><em>_In the heart of this world._

_ Emotion,  
><em>_It pulses,  
><em>_In this never ending dance._

_ Insanity,  
><em>_It creeps,  
>I<em>_nto the minds of the vulnerable.  
><em>

* * *

><p>I refuse. I will not shed a single tear. It's against everything I believe in. I will remain dignified, no matter how much it hurts me. Yet, despite myself, a single tear runs down my face. It is raining lightly, so nobody notices my moment of weakness. A hand squeezes my shoulder reassuringly. I do not look up at her, for fear of what I might see, or what she might see.<p>

I clench my hands and keep my face emotionless as it passes. I breathe sharply, and this does not go unnoticed. My Aunt, for she is the one standing behind me, places another hand on my other shoulder. I want to break down and sob.

For _it_, is the casket:

In which my father's body lays.

His face is calm, with an eerily restful expression. In death, he finds more peace then he ever did in life. He was a stressed man, having to raise me all alone since my mother died; working with horrible bosses, low wages and long hours. I found myself becoming more like his wife than his daughter, and I had studies to attend to as well.

He wanted me to reach as high as I could. And I did … I _do._

But now he's gone.

One month ago, he was admitted into the hospital. A week and a half ago, he died of a chest infection. He drowned in his own blood.

His death scares me – it shakes me to my core. I've lost the last pillar supporting my life. He was also the only person I couldn't tell the death date of. When I was younger I used to childishly think of him as some sort of immortal. And even into adolescence until now, I've somewhat hoped that he couldn't die. He promised that he wouldn't leave me, and I believed him.

I know when everybody around me is going to die. Above everybody's head are their true name and a set of numbers telling those who can understand them when that person is going to die. I've been this way for a while now: since my Mother's accident. After that, I have seen the red letters and numbers floating around people's heads.

It was eight years ago, on March the Seventeenth, 1995. I was nine years old. I had been in the car with my mother, but miraculously survived. I remember crying with both emotional and physical pain, clutching the back of my Mother's shirt and _begging_ her to wake up. When the paramedics arrived, I was unconscious from blood loss. I was lucky, they said, that it was divine intervention. I didn't feel lucky, I felt as though I shouldn't have been alive.

Ever since that day, I had changed, and in many ways, so had my father.

Death is not new to me, I see it every day. What hurts the most is that broken innocence, the reality of the situation crashing down on me. I couldn't know when he was to die.

He broke his promise.

(Even this is only the guilty, childish grievance of a teenager on the verge of adulthood.)

It has been a long time since I went around not knowing when somebody is to die, even if I've conditioned myself to ignore it. I've become … accustomed to it, in a sense. I have forgotten how life without it could be like.

My name is Kurai. Kurai Itsoku.

I was born in America and lived there with my parents until my Mother died. She was American, and my Father was Japanese. For the past few years, I have lived here in Japan. For the last month, I've been staying with my Aunt, who lives in Tokyo, and I will stay with her now that my Father has passed.

The casket is lowered into the dark, damp and lonely earth, forever sleeping. I feel a knot forming in my chest.

* * *

><p>I slip into the back of the car. My Aunt grumbles something and sits in the passenger seat directly in front of me. My Uncle sits in the driver's seat. He looks in the mirror at me, and a pained expression crosses his face.<p>

"Are you alright?" he asks. His voice is layer with concern, but he has distanced himself from me. It feels more like a formality than actual concern.

"Not really," I reply quietly, not wishing to speak.

"Are you sure?"

"I already answered your question." My Uncle grumbles something under his breath, and my aunt shoots him a glare. Her lips are tight and eyes still misty. It was her brother, after all.

The drive back is quiet; nobody speaks. We don't even bother to pretend that we're okay anymore. I pull the elastic from my hair, letting the black locks fall against my shoulders.

I remember. I remember all of it, both good and bad. The dark circles under his eyes were even more prominent on his corpse. The doctor on the other end of the phone stuttered, one of the most shocked by his sudden and unprecedented demise. My Aunt said nothing to me as she dragged me to her home.

It starts raining harder. My Uncle hesitates, and then flicks on the radio. He turns the knob so that it's a little louder.

_ '__There were more unexplained deaths among criminals today. The police have reported that they have all died of heart attacks-__'_

I welcome the distraction.

People seem to think that the chain of deaths is the work of a murderer. That is probably the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. It's just _not possible_. Could it be a virus spreading through prisons? I don't know.

Either way, people are in a real panic. It's all over the internet; _Kira_ is all over the internet. The name was taken from the English word _killer. _People are happy that these people are dead. It's sick. I don't understand how death is a happy thing. Human beings are complex, and we only have once chance at life. We are not inherently evil. No one deserves to die.

My thoughts drift back to my Father, and my mouth presses into a thin line.

_No one_ deserves to die.

* * *

><p>We arrive at my Aunt's place. I am bunking with my cousin, who just happens to be one of those people who subconsciously go out of their way to be pests. It annoys me to no end. I quietly close the door to our room behind me; she's talking on the phone. I quickly take off the suit I was wearing, and slip into some more comfortable clothes. Lying back on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling. The talking stops and I hear the beep of her cell-phone. It's off.<p>

"Are you alright Kurai?" she asks. I glance over at her. She can be a _real_ pain sometimes, but other times I can appreciate the fact that she does indeed possess sympathetic emotions. Although, even though my Father is her Uncle, they were never really close to him. There's a bunch of resentment wafting in the air because they are under the impression that he abandoned the family to marry my Mother. I guess they were only at the funeral to take control and dictate my life, to mold me into a suitable person fit for society – trying to mend bad blood.

"Not really," I sigh, closing my eyes and rolling my head back to where it was.

Annoyance creeps into her tone, "I was just trying to help. There's no need to snap."

"Yae, please be quiet." _Shut up already, you're giving me a migraine. _I am not ready to deal with the chaos that is everyday life.

"Fine, I'm getting something to eat," the older girl grumbles, getting off her own bed and storming out into the hallway. I stay silent, but mild amusement flickers across my face. So easily put off, that one.

Then I remember why I'm here, and that smile fades.

* * *

><p>Ten days. That's how long I've been out of it. Reality sunk in. The first stage of grief maybe: denial? No, I'm not in denial anymore. I cannot bring myself to describe these past days. He is undoubtedly dead.<p>

I hear the faint calling of my name, but I do not want to leave the false comfort of the bedroom. I miss my father terribly, but I do not want them to see my tears. The voices are calling louder. I suppose there must be food for me; I've been rather moody lately.

Before I head down to face my relatives I take a look at my own reflection. I look a mess.

My eyes are empty.

People have described them to me as dilated. My Mother said that they were so I could see the light in the world easier. Some have said that they are unreadable, or dead. They automatically assume my eye color is black, but there is a small ring of hazel around them. I do not see this though. Since the accident whenever I look in a mirror my eyes are red. However, it seems I'm the only one who notices this. Maybe I'm schizophrenic. The thought makes me smile.

I turn away from the mirror, and continue heading down the stairs. My cousin motions to a pan on the stove with some sausages. I help myself to them and the other things littering the counters. My Aunt then enters the room.

"Kurai, there was a package a few days for you," she notifies me and points. On the counter there is indeed a package. Picking it up, I size it up in my palms. It's light and looks like a book could be in it. There is no return address and my name is printed neatly on the front.

I give it a small shake. There is no rustling. With skill, I peel the brown wrapping off. It's a black notebook, without any writing on it whatsoever.

"What the hell?" I mumble, and turn it around. Nothing there either. I flip through the pages and a small envelope falls out. I notice my name on it and underneath it says: _read when you are alone._

That's awfully strange. I pick up both the notebook and the envelope and head back upstairs. There's a faint indentation on the page it slipped from. Obviously it was there a while. I seat myself on the edge of my bed and open the seal.

It reads:

_Kurai, I apologize to you._

_I had to say that before continuing. If he hasn__'__t already, a Shinigami, a God of Death will show himself to you. Do not trust him. I repeat, __do not trust him__. He__'__s a despicable creature, and does as he pleases. His name is Vile for more proof to that. For everything you want of him, he will either take or trade something that he wants from you, and he will twist the situation to suit his own personal interests._

God, this person can't actually be serious. I shake my head and continue reading.

_ Years ago, your mother was killed. I don__'__t have time to write down all the reasons for her demise, but let me make it clear that it was all my doing. _

How the fuck is _that_ possible? It was a car wreck stupid. My thoughts continue to become more and more sarcastic and disbelieving.

_ The book that you just received is a cursed notebook. If you write a person__'__s name down in it while thinking of their face, that person will die._

Load of bullshit. Is this some sort of prank? What disgusting person would do such a thing, especially since my father recently died?

_ There are more rules that I have come to learn of. Next to the name, if you specify the cause of death within the first 40 seconds, it will happen. In the 6 minutes and 40 seconds following that, details can be written. If nothing besides a name if written, the person will die of a heart attack._

Hold up, that last line sort of sounded similar to the Kira killings … this has creativity, I'll give them that.

_You can see the name and lifespan of any person you meet. This does not apply to those who own another of the Shinigami__'__s notebook: a Death Note. They are known as Shinigami Eyes, and are very deadly combined with the notebook. I was such a fool, and Vile managed to trick me into trading for them, and handing the Eyes to you. I never knew until afterwards what I had done._

… Does this person … know me? And how the hell did they know about the eyes?

_ I__'__m sorry. So, so sorry. By now I should be dead or very close. I wrote my own name down and all the details to my death. Maybe I will finally receive what I deserve. You are old enough to take care of yourself, and I trust you completely._

_ The Death Note is yours now._

_ - Your Father_

I am shaking by the time I finish reading the letter. Skimming over it twice more, I am extremely reluctant to believe it. How is it possible to kill somebody by writing a notebook, let alone before they are destined to die?

Cut off somebody's lifespan? Impossible!

However, the sheer shock of what I just read comes rushing in like a tidal wave. That was his fucking signature at the bottom. Tears stream down my face, and I suddenly feel repulsed by the small black notebook. I throw it across the room, where it hits the wall and lands pathetically on the floor, open and upside down.

The letter disgusts me even more, but I can't let anyone read it. They're the ramblings of a madman. With unsteady hands, I take the note and quickly stuff it in my suitcase. I need to get it out of my sight.

I lie back on the bed, but my gaze shifts to the 'Death Note'. It draws my attention like the darkest part of the shadows, or that motion in the corner of your eye. I grab a pillow, and throw it at the book. Diving under the covers, I hide from the monsters of my past, trying to block out images. I sob into my arm.

"_Keh, are you really that pathetic?_" a voice says.

I stiffen from my hiding place, and peek out from under the blanket.

I stare into the face of something truly evil.


	2. The Shinigami

**Chapter Two - **_The Shinigami  
><em>

_Darkness is like a veil,  
><em>_That shadows even the most innocent intentions._

_ It haunts us when we are at our weakest,  
><em>_And growls threats in our ears._

_ Darkness is like a cloud of smoke,  
><em>_That suffocates the pure of heart._

_ When we are at our strongest,  
><em>_It whispers promises of victory in our ears._

_ Only those with conviction so strong and righteous,  
><em>_Darkness will not enter their souls.  
><em>

* * *

><p>"What are you?" I whisper, looking at the beast before me. The light in the room flickers and the lights shut off; the small space is submerged into darkness. The sunlight won't even pierce the dusk.<p>

_"Haven't you figured that out yet? I'm surprised," _the monster hisses in an unnatural voice. I pause. Yes, I know what this thing is.

"The Shinigami Vile, isn't that right?" I sneer. I muster all of my sensibility and stare it straight in the eyes. It's a hideous creature, one that only exists in corroded minds.

"_Nice to meet you," _it smiles, or I _think_ it does. I can't really tell.

The one word that I can think of to describe Vile: Monstrous. There are probably thousands of other words I could use in many different languages, but this one sums him up nicely.

The Shinigami is tall, much taller than a man. It's very thin, so thin that its ribs are extremely prominent on its torso. It stands like a human, even though it's obviously not. Its skin is reptilian, like a snake about to shed; some of its scales are missing here and there. Its legs are long and thin, and its feet look like bird talons with sharp, wicked claws. The arms are also long and thin, extending to its knees. It has talons for hands as well - claws and everything. Around its waist is a ripped and battered belt, clinging desperately to its thin form. It's wearing what looks like a tattered pair of shorts made from some type of leather. A Death note is secured to the belt by a rope. The arms and legs are wrapped with bandages: they are yellow, and in some places stained with what appears to be blood. Instead of a head, there is a large reptilian skull. In the eye cavities, red lights glare from the darkness of the mask.

"Likewise," I say, and then grin slightly.

The Shinigami almost seems taken aback. "_You're not scared anymore …_"it hisses in disbelief.

"You're only a hallucination brought on by grief. There's no reason to be afraid."

It laughs.

"So, you really knew my father?" I say with a small hint of sarcasm. I'm just going to go with the flow for now. If I'm going crazy, might as well do it with dignity.

"_Yes, he was a complete idiot."_

I say nothing, neither denying nor confirming his statement.

"Why is it so dark in here?!" Yae's annoyed tone reaches my ears. I glance over at the open door, squinting as the light streams in.

"I happen to like the dark," I say simply, playing with my own degraded thinking cycle.

"Oh, so you're talking now?" she flicks the light on and drops her bag unceremoniously on her bed. I am puzzled. She looks awfully tired. Then I remember - she has been working a lot lately. She must have been awake the entire night. Yae stalks past the Shinigami and me to open the blinds. Even more light streams in, and I shield my eyes.

"What? Are you allergic or something?" Yae scowls. "And why don't your pupils shrink?" Well, she may be childish and not the brightest bulb in the box, but she isn't stupid … much. "It's really freaky you know." Her bad mood is searing obvious, thickening the air in the room to the point where I fidget.

"I don't care," I say simply – she scowls again. I really know how to piss people off. Yae tries not to yell at me (she knows that I'm still grieving and her pride wouldn't let her) and storms out of the room. As her footsteps fade, I stand once more.

"_That girl is a real bitch,_" Vile points out the obvious.

"Yeah, well, there is no helping it," I mumble, and walk across the room to where my pillow is hiding my Death Note. I thank my sudden actions and revulsion. Who knows what would have happened if she had actually seen the disgusting thing. Yae probably figured that I had a fit of some sorts and threw the pillow across the room.

I pick up the pillow and toss it back onto the bed. The notebook is still there, in all its innocent looking evil. With it in hand, I cross the room to the small desk beside Yae's bed and fetch a pen. Then the television is flicked on.

"_What are you doing?_"Vile asks as I close the curtains and flick off the lights.

"Proving that this is a fake," I reply simply, and then sit down on the bed with my legs dangling over the edge.

Flicking through the channels, I quickly find what I was looking for: a news broadcaster. It doesn't really matter which in particular, as long as I can get the name and face of a criminal.

"_Why are you looking at that?_"Vile asks. He knows that he'll get an answer – in fact he probably knows what I'm up to. He just wants me to explain it for him. No harm in humoring him for now.

"The letter said that if I don't write a cause of death, that the person would die of a heart attack."

_"You're not going to just trust my word?"_

"No. You, Shinigami, are the essence of dishonestly. Quite frankly I don't trust you as far as I can throw you."

_"That's not nice."_

"Shut up."

_ "I mean that really hurt my feelings."_

"I said shut up." You are a figment of my imagination; you have no feelings. Opening the book to the first page, I quickly jot down the name of the first lesser criminal that pops onto the screen.

_"So what's the point for killing the criminal? Why can't you just kill that other girl?"_

I chuckle ominously, "Bastardizing the Kira killings for my own general amusement."

_"English please."_

"Basically just for shits and giggles."

_"Oh," _he says simply. And I swear, if he could smirk, he would. I lie back down on the bed and sigh heavily.

It's simple logic really. When I first read the line about death by heart attack (before I was as upset and only minimally skeptical) it had crossed my mind that it was just like the Kira killings. Kira slaughtered his victims with a heart attack.

But that also meant a few other things. The letter said that the Death Note could kill in ways other than a heart attack: a heart attack is what happens when you don't designate the cause of death. But why kill in a pattern? That's a sure way to get caught …

Kira _wanted_ to be known.

Why not kill criminals through other means? Why just wipe them all out with a sudden pandemic, or a fire, or some other means? It means he wanted people to connect the dots and realize that he was out there – that he was _real_.

It was more deranged than I had immediately thought. Just outright despicable.

What does he want? Does he want Money? No, he would probably would have targeted innocents then contacted some large form of government and demanded money. Neither has happened. He is obviously too childish to realize what he is actually doing. Cutting off people before their death dates, all the while hiding away in some little place, pen in hand.

Maybe he wants power? Yes, but probably in some indirect way. He probably thinks himself as some sort of judge of criminals, sentencing them to death with the stroke of a hand. How pathetic. He shows no sign of stopping now, so I doubt he would commit suicide after he killed off the largest criminals in the world. Could it be he wants to be seen as justice? The very thought fills by stomach with disgust. My mind briefly flicks to some lessons in earlier high school. Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans depicted Justice as a sentient being: a goddess. It's the very symbol of justice today, a blindfolded woman holding a scale and a sword.

Does Kira want to be seen as a god?

Either way, this is all hypothetical at the moment. My imagination is so deranged that I'm coming up with theories on a mass murderer to filter my frustration and anger at my father's death.

That's when my attention is brought back to the television.

A man in a business suit is standing before the camera, holding a small stack of papers in his hands. Behind him is what looks like some office interior. Judging by the lack of editing, it is live.

"_We apologize for the interruption,_"he says, voice almost nervous. He shifts the papers slightly, "_As of now we__'__re bringing you a live world-wide broadcast from Interpol__'__s ICPO._" There is some slight rumbling in the background. I sit up again, interested. A world-wide broadcast from an international police organization (one connected directly to the United Nations)? One thought flickers through my mind: _Kira._

God, if this is still a hallucination, I am going to be _pissed. _However, I doubt I would be able to concoct something _this_ strange in my subconscious. So, for now, I am going to trust that this broadcast is reality.

"_We now take you live, to the ICPO._"

The screen changes. Sitting in front of white backdrop with the Interpol logo behind a desk was a younger man wearing a nice slick suit. On his face was a serious expression, his hair was brushed to the sides, a microphone on his ear and sitting neatly in front of him is a shiny plaque displaying his name. Above his head I see the same name. With a quick calculation, his lifespan states that he is going to die very soon …

_LIND L. TAILOR_

"_I head up an international task force, which includes all member nations,__"_he begins to speak. _"__I am Lind L. Tailor, otherwise known as _L."

I frown, recognizing that name. "L …" I whisper, the singular letter rolling over my tongue. Oh, now I know. I've heard of him over the internet. He is supposedly the world's _greatest_ detective. Nobody knows anything about him, except that he's the best, takes large cases (ten victims or over a million dollars at stake), and is known internationally by the letter L. That's about all _anyone _knows. He has never shown his face, nor has he told anyone his name.

He has just done both.

"_Criminals around the world are being murdered by a serial killer. I consider this crime to be the most atrocious act of murder in history. I will not rest until the person, or persons responsible are brought to justice._"

L thinks that Kira is real? This is absolutely fascinating.

If I take a step back and reinstate the hypothetical scenario, then that was just an incredibly stupid move. Besides, if I assume the information I was given about the supposed 'Death Note' is valid, then it's safe to assume that L hasn't connected all the dots. There isn't really much you can believe when working with this.

Of course, Kira _wanted_ this attention. He waved a brightly colored flag so that people would notice him. And I will bet everything I own that L has thought of this too. So … something isn't right. Why would he be doing something like this?

"_Kira, I will hunt you down. I will find you,_"he paused. "_Kira, I got a pretty good idea what your motivation might be, _and _I can guess what you hope to achieve. However, what you__'__re doing right now is_ evil."

After that he sported a smirk.

I visibly wince, and beside me Vile is silent. Is he trying to _provoke_ Kira?!

Wait …

My eyes go wider as I watch something incredible happen on the screen. I've noticed that I can only see the name and lifespan of a person if I am really there, or am watching a live taping. Right now, Lind L. Tailor's lifespan has vanished.

"What the hell, his lifespan … it's gone!"

This is definitely not something that I would come up with. This is real. I am tense, but it doesn't seem like a long time before the next amazing thing happens.

Lind L. Tailor gasps in sudden shock and his hands fly up to clutch at his chest. He then collapses on his desk. His name disappears as two men in suits drag the body off the set.

_What were you trying to accomplish, L?_

The screen goes white, and I find myself staring at the large gothic capital L in the center of the screen. There is a gasp of shock coming from the other end. It's masked by a synthetic voice.

"_I had to test this just in case, but I … I never thought it would actually happen._" The voice says. I was right.

"_Kira __…__ it seems you can kill people without having to be there in person. I wouldn__'__t have believed it if I hadn__'__t just witnessed it. Listen to me, Kira. If you did in deed _kill_, Lind L. Tailor, the man you just saw die on television, I should tell you that he was an inmate, who__se__ execution was scheduled for today. That was not me.__"_

_"Heh, this L character has all the bases covered, doesn't he?" _Vile remarks.

"Certainly lived up to his reputation," I add.

"_The police arrested him in absolute secrecy, so you wouldn__'__t have heard about him on TV, or through the Internet. It appears that not even you have access to information about these types of criminals_.

'_But I assure you, _L. _Is. Real _… I. _Do. Exist. Now, try to kill _me!" L stated.

"You son of a bitch," I chuckle. "You have no idea what you're up against, and you still have the balls to yell at Kira."

_"How interesting …" _Vile says.

"_What__'__s wrong, hurry up! Come on, right now. Kill me!_"

Taunting Kira …

_"__What__'__s wrong, can__'__t you do it?__"_

Declaring …

War.

"_Well, Kira, It seems that you can__'__t kill me after all. So there are some people you can__'__t kill __…__ You__'__ve given me a useful hint. Let me return the favor. I__'__ll tell you something that I think you__'__ll find interesting. Although this was announced as a world-wide broadcast, the truth is, we are only broadcasting in the Kanto region of Japan. I had planned to broadcast this message around the world until we found you, but it looks like that won't we necessary. I now know where you are._"

I laugh softly, "Kira must be feeling pretty foolish by now."

"_The police treated your first killing as an unrelated incident, but in actually, the first of your victims was a suspect in Shinjuku. Of all the criminals that have recently died of heart attacks, this one__'__s crimes were by far the least serious. Furthermore, his crime was only ever reported inside Japan. I used that information to deduce this much; you are in Japan, and your first victim was little more than an experiment, which means you haven__'__t been _killing_ for very long_.

_'__We decided to broadcast in Kanto first because of it__s__ large population, and luckily, we found you. To be completely honest with you, I never expected things to go this well, but, it won__'__t be too long now before I am able to sentence you, to death._

_'__Naturally I am very interested to know how you are able to commit these murders without being present, but I don__'__t mind waiting a little bit longer. You can answer all of my questions when I catch you. Let's meet again soon, Kira_."

The television turns to static.

Maybe Kira is real indeed. I'm still declaring the whole 'Death Note' thing as bullshit, but the evidence to me is so overwhelming at the moment that I'll go along with this fantasy. I mean, I just saw someone's lifespan disappear. The only person who I couldn't see the death date of was my father. Without fail, every other person on the globe has presented a name and a lifespan to me.

L … he doesn't know about all that. He's grasping at straws.

"Hey Vile."

_"Yes?"_

"What would you think … if we helped their little investigation?"

_"I wouldn't care."_

"Good."

Kira, you have defied everything that is good about the world. You are disgusting - a total monstrosity, even worse than the Shinigami. I will assist L.

But that's not even the beginning of the thoughts whirling through my mind.


	3. Partners in Crime

**A/N: **I've changed some of the content in this chapter, along with a number of minor plot holes that I rolled my eyes at while editting. It still sounds like there are holes, but seriously, I adress them later on.

Also, there's a lot more to Kurai's family's story than there seems, and I think I'll be adressing more of that in CRIMSON. As you know Vile is a manipulative liar and generally an asshole.

Good news though, I'm completely re-writing the ending, so it's changed drastically. It'll include a few more chapters, too.

- DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three - <strong>_Partners in Crime  
><em>

_ A whole without a piece isn't a whole any longer.  
>A piece without a whole is only a part.<br>Apart they are little more than objects missing a part of themselves.  
>But together they create something special.<em>

* * *

><p>"Are you sure? You can take some more time off if you'd like."<p>

"No, really, it's fine. I need to catch up with my studies." I smile sadly at my Aunt, who is standing by the door, a worried expression on her face. I need to get out of this stifling place for a while - where my relatives won't judge and pity me … or try to make me something I'm not.

"You can take the year again."

"I don't want to," I say, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

"… Very well." She closes the door in front of her slowly, hoping that I would change my mind, but that's not going to happen. I've made my choice. I am going to finish school, get into college and set myself up for a future.

As I walk to school, I breathe in the fresh air and reorganize my thoughts. However, I am interrupted by the lizard constantly looming over my shoulder now.

_"Why are you trying to do something about what's-his-name? Why would you bother?"_ he asks, pupils narrowing considerably. My figment has been brooding for several days now, since I started on my project. I think he may be experiencing something called _confusion_.

"I saw something that not even my _subconscious_ would produce. Someone _died_ before their death-date. It's so incredibly perverse and defies the laws of … well … _everything!_" I whisper harshly.

_"… You really _are_ crazy. Are you solipsistic or just a narcissist?"_

"No," I deadpan, ignoring the urge to smack him; talking under my breath is one thing, flipping out and attacking thin air is another – and don't even get me started on how it feels like to be called crazy by a hallucination.

As I approach the school I completely ignore Vile, opting to construct my presence for the day. I want to be calm and composed when I go to school. At the moment I'm still functional, even if I'm technically insane.

"Kurai!" a voice calls out to me as I step inside the grounds, and I stop myself from pinching the bridge of my nose out of habit. A girl around my age approaches; she's in my class. Long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, freckles and stormy blue eyes: this is Kakushin Lee.

"I thought I asked you not to address me by my first name," I let out a sigh, so much for calm and composed. I don't like people doing that, it's far too personal for my liking. I would have them call me by something utterly unrelated, but I don't see that happening in a public school.

"Oh, sorry!" she smiles sheepishly. She would probably see it as a sign of friendship - a nickname. That's not the impression that I want to give.

I look up and stare into her eyes. A flash of concern flashes across her face, "Wow, have you been sleeping at all? You have black circles under your eyes."

"No," I say, intending to move past her, but something catches my eye. I look above her head, and stare blankly at the space where he lifespan should be.

It's _gone._

"Hey, are you okay?" Lee asks when she notices my gawking.

"I would ask you the same question." Oh no, is she going to die?

"I'm just great actually! I had a great time in America!" She talked about going to America with her family before my Father's passing. She likes to hang out around me, but I've never really counted her as my friend. I've always kept people at arm's length, but that doesn't mean that I won't be sad if she were to suddenly drop dead.

"That's not what I meant …"

"What are you saying?" she's serious for a moment, blinking rapidly and frowning.

"Never mind," I say hurriedly and continue to move past her. I don't want to hang around and let my face betray my shock.

"Wait …" she says, voice surprisingly sober. I glance over my shoulder at her. Lee's face is shadowed by her hair, and she is frowning severely. "You have Shinigami eyes, don't you?"

I manage to keep my face strait for this, but I'm subtly shaking. "What makes you say that?" How the hell did she know about those in the first place?

Am I _really_ crazy?

"Don't lie. You and I both know what I'm talking about," she then looks up, and I see sadness in her blue eyes.

"Itsoku, Kakushin!" a voice calls out. We are interrupted by Lee's friend, Makoto Korin.

"Oh, hey Makoto!" Lee greets him cheerfully, as though nothing had ever happened. If I hadn't just heard her grave words, I wouldn't have known that they had crossed her mind. Certainly fooled me …

The gangly brown-haired teen grins goofily and proudly tells her something about his weekend. I train my eyes on the ground, and leave to head into the school building.

* * *

><p>Alright, I must admit, I am officially surprised. Kakushin Lee is really good at stealth work. She jumped out in front of me when I was walking down the hallway, looking like she's about to burst an aneurism.<p>

"How long have you had a Death Note?" she growls in my face.

"A few days," I shrug, not looking at her face, god, anywhere but her face.

"How long have you had Shinigami eyes?"

"Since I was nine … apparently."

"I don't understand," she says in confusion, and her voice is calmer now.

"My father," I whisper, and Lee makes a pained expression, getting what I was implying.

"I'm sorry," she mutters obtusely. "It's kind of scary, you know?"

I shake my head in reply, "I'm crazy. Maybe this is all a dream, right?"

Once again, she utterly and completely shocks me by twisting the skin on my arm tightly. "What the fuck?!" I hiss, rubbing my abused arm and shooting her a sharp glare. At her raised eyebrow I understand what she was implying: _'this isn't a dream stupid.'_

"Don't you think it's odd that I'm having the same hallucinations?" she says instead, satisfied that she got her point across. I pout, not wanting to believe the implications.

"Have you tested it?" she asks me after a sparse silence.

I laugh outright, "You don't actually believe that it's real?"

"How do you explain the Shinigami then, if you're not crazy after all?"

I cannot reply.

"So, again, have you tested it?"

I don't want to admit it, but I give a small nod and avert my eyes. Her whole body almost slumps, and she gives a small sigh. "That's what I thought. How'd you do it?"

"I chose a criminal."

"Just like Kira," she chuckles, "that sounds like something you'd do."

"Just a thought but … if this is actually legit, it could help me find Kira."

"You want to _find_ Kira?!"

"I've seen death all around me since I was young, and if this 'Death Note' is real, in an indirect way my parents were murdered by Kira. He disgusts me in a way that I can't describe. I want to see him in prison," I vaguely try to express my emotions, voice trembling towards the end.

She surprises me once again.

"Then count me in." I look up at her, and find her smiling fondly. "I may not be a genius of any kind, but I _can_ do some things."

"Count me in too!" We both turn our heads and see Korin running down the hall towards us. Shouldn't he have gone to class?

"M-Makoto!" Lee stutters.

"How much did you hear?" I hiss at him.

"Enough to get the main idea of what you guys are up to," he smirks slightly. I scowl in reply. "Come on, don't look at me like that Itsoku."

"Yeah, we can trust Makoto," Lee pipes up.

"I bet you want to know what the official investigation is up to," Korin smirks smugly at me.

"Of course," I roll my eyes in reply.

He laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck, "Well, most people don't know this, but I'm actually a decent hacker."

"Please Kurai! He won't blab! I promise," Lee begs.

My eyebrow twitches as they plead, "Fine! He can help, but you cannot let _anyone_ else know."

"Yeah," Both Korin and Lee agree without hesitation.

I grunt in response and cross my arms over my chest, "We shouldn't talk about this here. My cousin is working after school; you guys can come to my place so that we can talk more freely." They both nod in response, and then head off to their separate classes.

* * *

><p>"No way," Korin breathes. He and Lee are sitting on my Cousin's bed, and I'm sitting on mine. The curtains are closed and the door locked. I told my Aunt that we were studying and not to disturb us.<p>

Korin is taking this well … which is in complete sarcasm. He obviously does not believe much of our story. Lee told us how she found her Death Note, and I proceeded to explain what it does and how it works. I then told them how I got mine, and what the general idea of the letter was. Lee is staring openly at me with … sympathy? Or maybe pity … I cannot tell.

I take a deep breath, and launch into the rest of my thoughts. I tell them about what I've witnessed, suspect and deduced. They nod at some points, and need a clearer explanation at others. They aren't stupid, at least.

But as Lee said, she isn't a genius.

Then I move on to what I want to do. I wish to find Kira firstly, and get evidence against them. With our prior knowledge to the way they kill, it will make our job much easier. That is, if it's the real deal.

In the middle of my speech, I grab the remote to the small television, and flit through the channels to find the one I want. Even as we speak, they are reporting on the criminal that I had singled out.

"That is the one I tested the notebook on," I say, slightly shocked. It takes them a few moments to understand why I changed the conversation so drastically. I am incredibly reluctant, to the point where I was in denial, but the proof is staring me right in the face right now.

"So it is real after all, not that I had any doubts," Lee admits.

Well, I am so screwed. This is the fucking real deal. Okay, so maybe I'm _not_ crazy (well, actually, just because I'm not hallucinating it doesn't mean I'm not crazy). What the hell am I going to do now?! … Well, I guess go through with my plan. The Death Note is real, and that is what Kira uses to kill. I have an advantage right now.

"I don't know. It could be coincidence."

"No, Korin, it isn't," I lean down, trying to keep my voice calm, and pull the Death Note from under my bed. His eyes widen as I open to the first page. "I will burn this page soon, along with the letter my father sent."

"Okay, okay, I believe you now. And please, you can call me Makoto."

Frowning, I shake my head. I completely forget why I am unnerved for a second.

"Aw, why not Kurai?" Lee says in her best innocent voice.

"If we ever get close to Kira, we cannot use our real names. If we get into the habit of using each other's names, if we meet them in person it will be difficult to remember the alias."

"So what are you suggest?" Korin asks.

"Well, we start calling each other by an alias, at least when it's only the three of us."

"That makes sense," Lee smiles. "We should have letters, just like L, 'cause we're investigating the same thing."

"If you want."

"I want to be D," Korin says nearly immediately.

"Any particular reason?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, D can stand for dangerous, as well as detective, and other things."

… He's completely serious, to which both Lee and I facepalm to.

Lee then smiles affectionately. "I want to be … K." I guess that makes sense, nobody will suspect that you use the first letter of your name to address yourself. I wonder if L has thought of that.

"What about you?" Korin asks me. I glance over to the mirror and look at my own bright red eyes.

"I wish to be known as Red," I say, a smirk coming to my lips.

"Red?" Both Korin and Lee ask, or should I say K and D.

"Yes."

"Any reason behind _that _name?" D asks with a slight grin.

"Yeah, but I won't tell you what that is."

"This is _so_ cool!" Lee says excitedly. If she were a dog, her tail would be wagging a mile a minute.

"Yes, now that is out of the way let me explain the rest of my plan," I say, and tell them the rest: the plan that I had formulated in the event that the Death Note was real (because, really, I have nothing else better to do in my spare time).

I want to hack into the Task Force main frame to keep up with their investigation, and if possible make contact, all the while remaining anonymous expect what we wish to be called – our aliases obviously.

Once we gather the evidence, we deliver Kira to them in a gift wrapped box (K laughed at this) – let them take credit for capturing Kira. I have no interest in becoming recognized. I don't want to be contacted afterwards. I want to get rid of Kira and move on with my life.

"I think it's a great plan," K smiles, not knowing that the plan itself is completely ridiculous and we're in_ high school_ for god's sake. I mean, really, we're delving into a world where we are just children and ignorant buffoons compared to the real veterans.

I digress.

"Yeah, I could probably help out with all the technical stuff," D adds. I nod.

"Hey, Kuru wants to meet you guys," K speaks up. I assume that is the name of her Shinigami. D seems … nervous. I guess that makes sense - he's meeting his first Shinigami after all.

K reaches into her bag, which is on the floor, and pulls out the skinny black notebook. There are some scratchy symbols on the front, written in what appears to be white ink. She hands it over to me, and as soon as I touch it, I look over her shoulder. It's a huge looming figure – much different from Vile. Behind me the Shinigami is laughing, the first noise he has made since this morning.

Kuru looks like a bear, and if you saw him from a distance he would seem like an overgrown teddy bear. Up close is another story. His fur is a light brown color, matted and scruffy. The body is stitched together from something similar to thread, only silvery and insubstantial. He's missing an ear. There are claws instead of fingers, attached to large hands without wrists. He does not seem to have feet, like some stuffed bears. It's wearing a skull mask, without a jaw, and behind that are two bright green catlike eyes, now fixated on me. It's hunching slightly. For his mouth there is a deep rip in its face.

"Hello," I greet it, and pass the Notebook to D. He looks to the place I'm gazing at. He doesn't scream, but he breathes quickly and his eyes widen to the size of dinner plates.

_"Hello," _Kuru replies in a deep, steady voice. It's nothing like Vile's voice. No, in fact the lizard-Shinigami's voice is higher, and filled with smugness and mockery.

Bastard.

I pass around my own Notebook, and K immediately launches into a conversation with him. She's confused at first at his name (she thinks he's calling himself something mean) but quickly realizes that it's his actually name. I place the Death Note back under my bed, just to be safe. K puts hers in her bag.

D quickly gets over the shock of seeing Shinigami, and talks to them a bit. I silently begin thinking of my shaky plan. It heavily depends on my thoughts, and D's skill as a hacker. The chances are too low to gamble on, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

I then look up, eager to ask something that's been on my mind. "Kuru, may I ask you something?"

The Shinigami's gaze focuses on me, _"Go ahead."_

"Why did you drop your Notebook on earth, or more specifically, how did Kakushin get it? Kind of convenient, don't you think?"

He pauses, and the others look up at him too. They are also curious. I mean, what are the odds that Kakushin gets one too?

_"I am here to keep an eye on Vile, actually. I've more or less made it my duty to make sure he doesn't screw up too badly." _The three of us laugh. Vile ruffles his wings and pretends to scratch a spot on his shoulder with his fangs, evidently embarrassed.

After a while, K glances at her watch and with much gusto, gasps in surprise, "I should get home. It's really late!"

"Me to," D stands up and stretches his arms.

I agree silently. My cousin should be home within the next twenty minutes, and I do not want her to catch us up here.

"I'll see you guys later," D yawns.

"Yeah, goodbye," I say to K and D.

K smiles sadly at me, "Make sure you get some sleep tonight. You look better _without_ the panda eyes."

"Panda … eyes?" I blink in confusion. K laughs in response.

"See you later, Red," K says, and both her and D leave me alone

After a moment I begin to laugh. Oh, this is definitely going to be interesting at the very least.

* * *

><p><em>"What are you going to do if you crash and burn?"<em> Vile asks me.

I startle and whirl around to fix him a stare, "What do you mean by that?"

_"You're playing a dangerous game, doing things that normal people wouldn't even consider. I want to know why."_

Vile is perplexed, at a complete loss as to why I am acting this way. Normal people don't try to contact the greatest detective in the entire freaking world. Normal people don't hunt psychopathic serial killers. Normal people don't do both.

He stares at me expectantly with those beady red eyes. I smile.

"I've told you why."

_"You could be killed."_

I laugh, "It's a risk I'm willing to take. It's all part of the game after all."

My red eyes shine.


	4. The Wall

**Chapter Four - **_The Wall_

_The wall,  
><em>_Separating, spacing,  
><em>_Closing in.  
><em>_Shadow of intimidation,  
><em>_A lone figure challenging  
><em>_A supreme force.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"It was Ryuk."<em>

Vile startled, looking over to his side. It was dark, very dark, well past midnight. Kuru was standing by his side, green eyes shining through his mask.

_"Thought so,"_ Vile admitted.

This whole Kira business was obviously started by a Shinigami. You couldn't get any more conspicuous, if you knew what to look for. Vile looked back at his human, his confusing but interesting human, who was sleeping fitfully. This was the sort of thing he had been waiting for.

_"You're an idiot, Vile,"_ Kuru hissed.

_"Maybe, but I just want to have a little fun."_

Vile supposed that he'd have to thank Ryuk at some point.

* * *

><p>"You have a laptop specifically for the purpose of hacking?" I ask, staring at the sleek black computer that D pulled from his bag. It's December 11th, at around 7:00 PM. K and I have gone to his residence for this operation, which was to hack the Task Force. (We're all out of our minds, I'm sure, but this <em>was<em> my idea.) The three of us are sitting in his bedroom, which is in his basement. I'm sitting in a chair with my legs crossed Indian style.

"Neat huh?" D flashes mean an insufferable grin.

"Does that mean you hack things often?" I retort.

"No, this was a gift from my uncle," D explains, setting the laptop up before him. He is sitting on the bed. K's sitting on the foot of said bed.

"I presume that your uncle was the one who taught you to hack."

"He said it was a good skill to have, even if you don't use it often. He also warned me not to use it for malicious intent."

"Where did he learn to hack?"

"I prefer to call it 'navigating cyber defenses', Red."

"Naturally," I reply sarcastically.

"Well I think it's cool!" K says, smiling warmly. She doesn't seem bothered at all. Well, of course you would think that K. Either way, it's kind of suspicious, and I don't like it.

"Okay, let's get started here!" D announces, and cracks his knuckles together. Once he focuses on the laptop, I doubt we could do anything to halt his concentration.

K waits eagerly. When she asked me what she could do for this (because she isn't a hacker and does not have much insight to this situation) I told her that she could take notes. She happens to have a quick hand, fortunate for us, and as I've said multiple times, she isn't an idiot, so she might catch something that I would miss.

The Shinigami also wait patiently. Kuru is content with standing by K and watching over her shoulder. Vile, on the other hand, is in the opposite corner. His arms are crossed, and he has his wings out and around his body. He's probably just trying to stay warm, but it's kind of creepy – he looks like some weird vampire bat.

As for myself, I find this quite dull. There is only silence except for the monotone clicks of D's keyboard. An hour passes and I am quite bored. I play with the sleeve of my sweater. It's a red one, in honor of this occasion. I end up absently chewing on it, like I did when I was younger.

* * *

><p><em>"Kurai darling, don't chew on your clothes. It's not good for your mouth."<em>

_ "B-but Mama," The little girl with black hair complained to her mother. The woman smiled down at her._

_ "It could hurt you, make you sick," she said to her child. _

_ "How can it do that? It's just a sweater." _

_ "There are tiny bugs on it, and they can make you sick," the mother did her best to explain the concept to the five-year old._

_ "Tiny bugs?" The girl's eyes went wide, and she looked down at the sleeve of the shirt she was wearing, as though it crawled with insects._

_ "Yes."_

_ "I don't like bugs," the girl whined, making her mother laugh her joyful, free laugh and hug her child._

_ "Don't worry; I won't let them hurt you."  
><em>

* * *

><p>I stop chewing on the fabric, and looked down at it. I haven't thought of that for years now.<p>

"Fuck!" I hear D swear under his breath. Glancing over, I see a scowl plastered to his face.

"What's wrong?" I ask quietly.

"This is going to take a while. They've put up more barriers than I first expected." He says, voice crackling with suppressed rage. I stand up and go over to look at it over his shoulder. I am met with a screen full of technical things. I am no hacker or technician.

"Barriers?" I ask.

"Think of it like this: there are walls that I need to get past in order to get the information we want. I've gotten past the first few, but they're getting harder and harder to pass the deeper we go."

"I didn't know that the Task Force had so much security."

"They don't (sadly enough)."

"But you just said-"

"I know! I got the information, because I got through the walls, but I found something interesting."

"What?"

"L is using an outside source. He probably has a person there to represent him, which hooks up the laptop. I found _that_ laptop, but it's only used for a connection. I'm trying to hack the laptop it's connected to. There might actually be something _important_ on there, something only the detective has."

"Good point," I admit, but I can't help but think that D's pretty ballsy to actually attempt such a ludicrous thing.

"You can take a nap if you want; we're going to be here for a while." I nod once.

"Just make sure you have all the files we need saved."

"No need to worry, I backed them up on a flash drive."

"Good," I yawn, and find myself ready to sleep.

"_Keh, maybe your little plan won't go as expected."_

I ignore my Shinigami, and try to sleep. It finds me after a few moments.

* * *

><p><em>"Move!" whined a little boy with blonde hair. A young raven-haired girl sat on the grass and gazes at the flowers.<em>

_ "Why …" She said wistfully._

_ "We're going to play here, go somewhere else," the boy said angrily. His friends were getting fidgety behind him._

_ "But the flowers are so pretty," she sighed in contentment._

_ "Go away, freak!" One of the blond boy's friends said._

_ "Yeah, my mom said that you weren't normal," Another said._

_ "So go away! You don't belong here."_

_ The girl got up, pouting and tiny fists clenched, "I can go where I want!"_

_ "Go away freak! You're a monster!" The boy yelled, and then pushed the girl. She fell over onto her behind._

_ She stared up at him, at a loss for words: shocked._

Monster …

* * *

><p>"Shit!" a voice yells, and I am ripped from my nightmare.<p>

"Another one …" I groan tiredly as my vision becomes clearer. It takes a moment for me to fully wake up.

"Damn!" another yell. I look over at D, who is beet red with anger. He looks as though he is going to throw his laptop across the room.

"What's going on?" I ask groggily.

"I got past the fourth wall, and now he's trying to hack me!" Vile gives a loud laugh from his corner, and I shoot a glare at him.

"Huh, what-" K is waking up now from where she is lying on the foot of the bed. I stand up, and stretch, popping the vertebrae in my back. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to sleep sitting like that. Glancing at the clock by D's bed tells me that it's around 2 AM.

"Who's trying to hack you?"

"L!" I freeze in understanding.

"L is trying to hack us …"

"Yes! He might have known what we were doing the entire time, or maybe he set a trap that I couldn't detect behind one of the other walls. I don't know!" He shouts in absolute panic.

_"Hah, this guy got you,"_ Vile chuckles.

"Shut up," I shout at the Shinigami and move so that I can see the screen. There is a frenzy of activity on it. D's fingers fly over the keyboard, his face is covered in sweat, and he is biting his tongue.

"Does he have control over the computer?" I ask.

"Fortunately, no, but there's a thin line; this guy is _very_ experienced. I wouldn't be surprised if he could hack his own system with ease. It's taking everything I got to ward him off, and even then I might not be able to keep him completely out."

"Can't you just shut the computer down?" K asks.

"That won't work! You can hack a computer that is turned off. We have more of a chance to stop him by fighting than simply turning the machine off."

"Sorry," K says apologetically.

I frown. He is certainly a better hacker than I imagined. How useful! But now we have caught L's attention. The very thought sends chills down my spine and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

A window pops up. The only thing in the window is white, and a black capital L in the middle. Just like the one on TV. D sighs in relief.

"Well, at least he doesn't have total control," he says, and continues typing in another window – probably trying to stable his position so that he can't be hacked any more.

"Does he have access to the files?"

"No."

"Can he wipe the hard drive?"

"No."

"Can he crash it?"

"I doubt it … no."

"Can you get rid of him?"

"No. He's secured himself as well. He probably wants to speak with us."

Lo and behold, just after D says this, another small window pops up. This window is blank, but there is a small box where you can type in some text – just like a chat function on those social networking sites.

"I guess he does," I say quietly, "Is it stable?"

"Yeah."

"Let me talk to him," I say. D moves over so that I can sit next to him. I pull the laptop in front of me. K then moves around so that she can see over my shoulder.

This is it: time to shine, time to prove to myself that I can do this.

Let's get started.

A line of text appears at the top of the box: _I am L._

Wasting no time, I see. I type in my answer. He wants to know who I am, well, I'll tell him. _I am Red._

_Who do you work for?_

_ I work alone._

"You're not going to mention us? D did all the work up to this point," K points out.

"I know that. It's to throw off his trail. One person isn't much of a threat. If I let out that there is more than one of us, it will let him narrow his line of sight in order to find us." K doesn't look but convinced, but that isn't really my problem.

_What do you wish to gain from hacking into my system?_

_ I was curious to see if there was any confidential information on it._

_ There is none that you haven't already gotten. The rest is in my head._

_ I see. Then there is no need for me to be here._

_ Why did you hack the Task Force mainframe?_

_ To get information on your investigation._

Might as well be honest. I don't want to be investigated alongside Kira. There is a pause.

_Why?_

_ To help. I want to catch Kira, but I doubt if I just came to your HQ that you would take me seriously._

Another pause. _How can I trust your word?_

_ I am not sure. I can't exactly trust yours either._

_ Well, in that case, what are your thoughts on the case?_

"Damn, what are we supposed to say?" D hisses.

"Well, the obvious," I say out loud.

"And that is?" K asks.

"That Kira can kill in more ways than one," I say simply.

"What? Why?" D asks.

"It's better than saying 'I know how Kira kills', isn't it?" I growl.

"I guess."

"Like I said a few days ago, if possible we should contact him and get his trust. Now that we're stable we can continue on the latter."

"Right," both of them reply, determination sparkling in their eyes. Well shit, we're _really_ doing this!

_Kira can kill in multiple ways. He is not limited to heart attacks._

_ Why do you say that?_

_ It's unlikely that a heart attack is all he is limited to. He can choose a time to kill his victims after all. I don't think it's much of a jump to assume he can kill in ways other than a heart attack. A heart attack is just his way of mocking us and letting us know he exists, like the way criminals intentionally leave behind clues. He wants us to go after him. He wants to sit back and laugh as we struggle to comprehend what clues he left behind._

_ It is a shaky hypothesis. _I can practically _hear_ his eyebrows rising at this point.

_ I know. _

_You have given me much to think about. _A pause, I do not answer. _Red, can I possibly contact you in the future?_

_ Possibly._

He quickly outlines a few times where we can contact him. I have K write them down quickly for future reference. _Contact me in one of these times, and I will let you know when you can speak with me after that._

_ Very well._

The line goes dead. The chat window and the window with the L close. D takes the laptop from me and starts typing away. After a few minutes, he sighs and shuts the lid.

"That son of a bitch," D moans. "He probably doubled the security on his system now. I don't think I'll be able to get in again besides those times."

"Well, it's not all bad," I say.

"Why is that?" K asks.

"He will probably share opinions and information with us," I smile. "Alright L, we'll help you."

* * *

><p>Somewhere far away, in a dark room, a man sat in front of a computer screen. His unruly black hair covered his face as he disconnected from the chat. He had just been speaking with a person he knew nothing about.<p>

This person had come out of nowhere: Red. Who could it possibly be? Could this Red actually be Kira? It was possible, but why give information to the detective who was after you? Maybe it was a hired agent from a powerful government.

L was the sort of person who made it his business to know who was who in the crime world. He knew who the top detectives were. Any who had dared challenge him had lost, and their names claimed as one of his aliases. The man brought his thumb to his mouth and chewed on the nail thoughtfully.

So who was this?

Could he trust Red? Probably not … but this person had managed to get deep enough into the system to alarm L at the very least. There was no doubt in his mind that this was a professional.

And what he had said … Kira could kill in other ways. That wasn't good for L. It may help the further investigation, but it could also mean disaster. The conclusion was also very vague, without evidence, so what had led them to believe that?

He couldn't let Red go, now that the mysterious person had been brought to his attention. It was dangerous to let them go. He needed to win their trust, bring them closer, and confirm if Red was indeed Kira or not. If Red was a threat, he would destroy him. If he really did have intentions of helping, then by all means – if they could in fact help them.

L sighed, and focused on his computer. He had work to do.

* * *

><p><strong>Omake<strong>

U89ZXM,ERRRFGVZX B/ X I8LW fg ;3Ul '4dj;

…?

L, on his side of the screen, looked at the series of gibberish with absolute confusion.

On their side, Red glared angrily a K, who had actually fallen onto the laptop. The blonde girl grimaced and laughed awkwardly.


	5. Leaps and Bounds

**Chapter Five - **_Leaps and Bounds_

_A stepping stone,  
><em>_In a fast flowing river.  
><em>_A plank,  
><em>_On a wooden bridge.  
><em>_A landmark,  
><em>_To show the way.  
><em>_A map,  
><em>_To lead you to your destination.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Interesting. Very interesting.<p>

I am sitting alone, and in the dark. My Aunt and Co. have gone for the evening. Pleading homework usually works in this situation, and I guess it _is_ somewhat true. I _do_ have work to do.

Reading over the information gathered by L and the Task Force is certainly taking a while. I am sitting before the fireplace; the warm glow from the flames shadows my face and much of the room I am sitting in; in front of me sits my laptop and a small stack of papers. I am reading off my laptop.

It is the night after we contacted L. A time was set in place for me to contact L tonight, but I don't want to rush into this. I'll have D set up my laptop to be untraceable. He will also disable the camera and microphone, and set up a special microphone with a synthetic voice modifier. K is making up a symbol for me, just like the one L possesses (just to be cool).

I may not be a hacker, but I do know how to use a computer. D promised he would show me how to contact the detective through the gate in the system (or so he described it) in a day or two, and then I would relatively be on my own.

What fun.

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. This information isn't exactly promising for the investigation. Sure, they have to gather as much as they can, any scrap will help, but this won't lead them to Kira. Yes, all the criminals have died of a heart attack. Yes, their names and faces were public. How else could Kira get that information? I doubt he would hack into top-secret databases just to get the identities of criminals – far too conspicuous … well, he might, but I won't bet on the chances.

And then, I notice something: the times of death. They are focused around certain areas of the day, there's a small file outlining this.

Well shit, they think a student could be doing this. It's probably possible that Kira did this on purpose to throw the investigation off track … but I doubt it. It seems he hadn't realized that you can specify the time of death until three days ago. L came to the same conclusion, and when Kira found out … criminals started being killed every hour, on the hour, and not only that, but these criminals were all within Japan, in places where they could be easily found. He's retaliating, the smug bastard.

This also means that there has been a leak of information. Damn, I look suspicious now, don't I? Well, I guess I need to work harder to earn their trust. L will probably try to get closer to me as well to see if I'm really Kira or not. Alright, I can deal with that … hopefully.

Back to the investigation!

Showing that he has links to the police is a risky move. It will focus the investigation's line of sight. (Of course, Kira thinks he's much better than all of us so he wouldn't care.) It would make people in the Task Force nervous, less likely to trust.

Ah, I see, he wants them to investigate each other: to have the police find out whom L is so that he can obliterate him. L probably has had this done to him thousands of times, so it's just going to harm Kira essentially. Fool.

Either way, L needs people who he can trust. The Task Force doesn't really like L from the vibe I'm getting. They despise him. Smirking, I look through the other files. They don't seem of much importance anymore. I got the information that I need. I shut down the computer and lay it to the side.

Now I'm alone with the small stack of paper, which only contains two pages: the letter from my Father, and the one page of the Death Note that I used. I feed those to the flames quickly, simply wanting them gone.

_"Was that good enough for you?" _Vile says behind me.

"Yes, this is excellent," I smile.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, thanks Makoto," I smile, taking the laptop into my hands. He then hands me the microphone he rigged.<p>

"It has a switch on the bottom; make sure it's on before you plug it in. It will change your voice," Makoto whispers to me.

"Got it, thanks again," I say, then close the door with a small wave. It's a few days later, December 14th. Yae is working again, and my Aunt and Uncle are sleeping. Time to contact the detective.

Setting up the small laptop in the darkness of the living room doesn't take much time. If I keep my voice down nobody will be the wiser as to what I'm up to. I boot up the laptop and plug in the microphone. D did a good job of explaining, so he didn't need to repeat himself. That's also good for me, because I only had two days to perfect the skill. K also did a good job for my representation. It has a black background, and in capital red letters it spells out RED. The letters themselves look formal (close to the font that L uses), but also seem like they are dripping blood (a little off-putting, but it looks cool enough).

I check to make sure the Microphone is in the ON position; I begin to get through to the Task Force system. I'm greeted by a window opening up with the capital L in the center.

_"Red," _he greets, in the same synthetic voice used to taunt Kira. This almost makes me laugh.

"L."

_"You have looked over our gathered information I assume."_

"Correct."

_"Please, tell me your thoughts on the information we have gathered."_

"Firstly, I was concerned by the pattern Kira was showing prior to the leak in information. It's likely that Kira did so to throw of our trail, but my gut tells me that isn't the case. He could have made a mistake, and wanted us to think it was intended, and then he switched his strategy. He's learning, _growing_. I wouldn't be surprised if he attempted to experiment in the future."

_"I agree," _L stated simply.

"Heh, I would expect that you would be roughly on the same page as me," I say in a moment of giddy satisfaction. I then mention the important bit, "There's been a leak in information?"

_"I've already taken care of that."_

"Oh, what did you do?"

_"I have sent FBI agents into Japan to investigate the Task Force."_

"Great! I suspect that Kira made it known he had links to the Police in order to create instability. He wanted the police to investigate you, so they could find your identity while he sat back and waited, but I am sure you have had precautions against something like this since the beginning of your career."

A pause, _"Yes."_

"So in turn it will just harm Kira. This is good. I will not ask who the agents are. I'd rather not know actually. All I need is for you to send me updates on that investigation too."

_"I can do that."_

"Thank you … I understand that it is hard to trust me, but I happen to not be Kira, so you can relax. I find it quite annoying really that I would be a suspect. You're also investigating me, are you not?"

Another, longer pause, _"Yes."_

"That's what I thought. Let me tell you something. I really did just come out of the blue. Sure, I have been alive all this time, but this is the first time that I have taken it upon myself to do some detective work. I have other matters to attend to, so this is a 'hobby' as you could call it."

Silence.

"Well, I think that shall suffice for one night. Good night." I reach to hit the button to disconnect, but the synthetic voice stops me.

_"Is there some way I can contact you immediately, if something were to happen?"_

"What, the great L can't cope by himself?" I tease.

_"No, it's just I find your deductive skills remarkable and I am interested to hear your views on this subject."_

"All right," I sigh. Figures. "I can probably have a way set up within a few days."

_"Excellent. I will leave you to your own devices."_

"Thank you. Goodbye." The screen goes dark and I shake my head with a smile, "Talk to you later, L."

Fascinating.

* * *

><p>"Hey Kurai, what's up with you lately?" Yae asks from across the table. I nearly choke on my cereal. It's the morning after, and I'm eating breakfast. School starts in an hour and a half.<p>

"Nothing, why do you ask?" I reply, putting the spoon in the bowl and looking over at my Cousin. She's frustrated and has her arms crossed over her chest.

"Well … it's just that the bags under your eyes aren't leaving. You haven't gotten much sleep, have you?"

I think for a moment, staring right at her. Yae shifts uncomfortably in my gaze, "No, I guess I haven't."

"It's not healthy."

"Well, I don't really care," I pout childishly and pick up the spoon again.

"Why not?"

"I have better things to do."

"Like going off to that boy's house until four in the morning?" She smiles mischievously, like she knows something I don't know.

"Maybe."

"You're not _sleeping_ with him, are you?"

_That_ question really catches me off guard. "That's not even funny!" I yelp, milk dribbling down my chin. I wipe the back of my sleeve across my mouth self-consciously as I feel a light warm feeling coming to my face.

"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean it!" Yae says, laughing and giving a guilty grimace, making quick motions with her hands.

_"Wow, I didn't know you could even make a reaction like that," _Vile chuckles from behind me.

"You better be sorry," I mutter under my breath.

* * *

><p>"Hey Kurai!" Kakushin rushes up to me and gives me a hug.<p>

"Hi Kakushin," I chuckle lightly, and then whisper carefully in her ear. "I have information on the case … we'll talk about it later." She nods and resumes her normal self to drag me towards Makoto.

"Makoto~!" she calls out and tackle-hugs him.

"Hi Kakushin," he laughs, trying not to fall over. He seems awfully tired.

"What's wrong?" I ask the adolescent.

"I'm exhausted. I stayed up all night studying for those entrance exams for To-Oh," he groans.

"I completely forgot about those," I mumble in an _'ohshit'_ moment.

"Really?" Kakushin blinks questioningly at me.

"Yeah, mind caught on other things, you know?" I give a weak smile, and they nod, but inside, I cripple slightly. I want to get a good education, so that I can have a life after school. A small voice tells me that I'll ace them anyway. Another small voice in my head tells me that if I asked L after the case was over if I could work with him, or at least ask him to give me a recommendation for wherever I wanted to go.

That's a selfish desire of mine. Mother and Father would disapprove …

But they're dead, aren't they? They are long gone, and never coming back. They were killed, _murdered, _by Kira. And when I speak of Kira, I mean the notebooks and the Shinigami. To me, they are all Kira.

So does that mean I am Kira too? I've killed with the Death Note.

"Kurai~ Kurai!" a loud shout in my ear makes me jump at least three feet into the air. Kakushin breaks into hysterical laughing.

"You think that's funny?!" I growl at her.

"Relax, we didn't know if you had fallen asleep or were just off in your own world," Makoto assures me calmly.

"Excuse me," I say quietly and quickly make my way into the school bathrooms. Vile is the only one who follows me.

"_What's got you all wound up?_"The Shinigami asks. Clenching my fists, I whirl around at the creature behind me.

"Just leave me alone, Vile," I spit in a dangerously low voice. I'm struggling to keep my tone even. I swear if he could frown, he would. In place of such things, he simply glides backwards through the wall and leaves.

I sit with my back against the wall and bury my face in my hands. I'm having a breakdown.

* * *

><p>"Here you go," D smiles slightly as he hands me a small cell-phone. It's untraceable, just like the laptop. They won't be able to bug it or listen in on conversations. He even has a tiny switch that can alter my voice, like what he had done for the microphone. There is no way that I'll get a refund for the phone.<p>

"Thanks a ton," I say in a not-so-excited tone. I'm up to my neck in anger and wrath of my 'adopted' family. Then when they all go to sleep I will have to contact L to give him the phone number. Fun.

"My contact is in there to if you need to talk to me about the case."

"Alright," there is yelling coming from behind me.

"Family troubles?"

"Yeah," I sigh, wave slightly and then close the door.

* * *

><p><em>A scream. Fire. Smoke. The scent of melted plastic and metal, burning hair and singed flesh. The hard cold earth beneath my shoulder.<em>

_ Trying to get up, trying to drag myself to safety._

_ Before I burn alive._

_ And a bell, ringing in my ear.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Ring! Ring! <em>I struggle to wake up. That was not in the dream. This is the first time in a few days that I have gotten a few good hours of sleep. Reaching over for my cell phone, I quickly flip it open.

"Hello?" I ask. There is no answer. I wake up completely this time and manage to sit up. This is not the phone that was ringing. What the hell?

_Ring! Ring! _Looking at the space under my bed, I quickly discover my 'work' phone lit up and ringing. Either D or L is trying to contact me. Grabbing it quickly from under the bed, I flip the voice altering switch just in case and answer it.

"Hello?"

_"It's L."_

"Oh hello! Do you even sleep or something? I'm kind of tired at the moment."

_"There is something I need you to look at. Open up your computer, I'm sending you a few files."_

With a large, audible groan, I haul myself off the bed and reach under it for the laptop. I place it on the edge of the bed so the light will not face Yae and set the brightness low. I receive a file from L within a few moments.

I open them up and my eyes go wide. There is a series of reports with a few pictures attached. I immediately open up the photos.

The first is a picture of a man lying on the ground. He is wearing an inmate's uniform, and a few urinals are attached to the wall beyond. He died in a _bathroom _… what a sad place to die in.

The second is a man died in his cell, but on the wall a large pentagram was drawn … in blood.

The third seems to be a suicide note, even though we all know the man died of a heart attack. It seems Kira made him write out the note and then killed him off like a cow in a slaughter house.

_"Well, what do you think?"_

"This … I was right, wasn't I? He's conducting an experiment."

_"Yes, it would seem that way. It's almost like a message from the killer himself. Some form of communication."_

"Did any others die at the same time?"

_"Three."_

"I'm assuming some of his experiment_ failed_ then," I growl lightly, eyes narrowing.

_"Either way, there could be something about these …" _I hear a small gasp.

"What is it?"

_"Read the first letters of each line."_

I do, and I see it immediately.

W

_L, do you know-_

_"Know what?" _I'm brought back from dreamland from the detective's voice.

"He might be sending more notes."

_"Yes, you're probably right."_

"But this also means another thing L. Kira can, to some extent, control the victim's actions before death."

_"I believe that we have already established that point."_

"Well, who knows how he will use that to his advantage. And … not to sound rude or anything, but it does back up my first point."

_"…"_

"Is that all you need?"

_"Yes, thank you."_

"Goodbye," I say, and hang up.

What will Kira try next? I wonder while running my hand through my hair.

Well, whatever it is, it can't be good.

I hope we're ready for whatever he's planned.

I hope.


	6. The Rest of My Life

**A/N: **And me, being the lazy person that I am, am now going to upload six or so chapters because I haven't in ... what, a week? I think. Oh well.

Some minor changes here. Got rid of a bunch of unneeded angst (frustrated me, that did). Some more character development.

And this, of course, is the point of no return, and thus the new chapter title.

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six - <strong>_The Rest of My Life_

_Thunder crash and thunder roar.  
><em>_Wind howling through the endless night.  
><em>_Rain pounding on the drum of earth.  
><em>_Sky smiling a wicked smirk._

* * *

><p>I slowly open my eyes. It's dawn, and the light is streaming in through the window. With a groan I roll over and try to get some more sleep. L's interruption last night did not help.<p>

The oddness of the situation is not lost on me, and honestly I think I'm having a hard time accepting that I've become a member of the Kira investigation. I mean, really, I went from a sort of normal person to an acquaintance of the greatest detective in the world. Shocker right there.

And then there's Kira. I wonder about him. When I think of taking down such a person tingles spread through my skin, and I'm filled with a sense of awe. This is the first day of the rest of my life, after all.

I sit up and lethargically rub at my eyes. Glancing in the mirror, I see that there are still black circles under my crimson eyes. What had Kakushin called them … Panda eyes? I don't feel like a bear of any kind honestly, but the thought is amusing and brings a smile to my face.

_"Good morning," _I startle at the words as Vile slips into view. He sits down on the edge of my bed and gives me a stare.

"What is it?" I sigh.

_"Nothing," _The Shinigami says.

"Kurai, who are you talking to?" Yae's tired voice moans from her bed.

"I'm just talking to myself," I say.

"That's weird …"

"Hmn," I shoot Vile an annoyed look – he laughs as per usual – and then get up to get ready. I have a lot of 'studying' to do. I know already that I'll get a good mark on the entrance exams (nearly got the top spot on the national practice exams, but I don't like attention so I missed a few questions on purpose). It isn't really a concern to me to study, but I need to keep up an image in front of my relatives. It gives me time to think and keeps me from pondering other things.

"You know Kurai, you seem different … somehow," Yae comments, looking at me from her place on her own bed. I blink at her confusedly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's like … you're happier, like you've found something to live for. I'm sorry about your Father's death, but it wasn't healthy to get lost in it, you know?"

I smile fondly at her. She's not so bad once you get to know her. "I guess."

"You're actually very pretty when you smile," she laughs, which I stick out my tongue to.

It keeps me from thinking of other things.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, what's up?"<em>

"I got an update on the case," I say over the phone to D.

_"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."_

Over the past little while I've been starting to get to know Makoto. He's not that bad of a person either, and I'm starting to think that he's a friend: a person I can trust. Same with Kakushin, I guess. It's a nice feeling.

"Shut up. Anyway, Kira is testing the limitations of how he can outline the actions of a person before their death. He made a criminal run to a bathroom, another draw a pentagram in blood and a third write a suicide note. Three others died at the same time, so I am led to believe that whatever he wanted them to do didn't happen."

_ "So the notebook has limits …"_

"Yes, it does, which honestly doesn't surprises me. I wish I knew what those other three were tasked to do though."

_"Well, it's no use fretting over it."_

"You're right. Have you gotten any updates on the agents' progress?"

_"They haven't found anything remotely suspicious about any of the people they were trailing."_

"Hmm … well, something inside me agrees with L that the suspect is close to the police."

_"I believe that is what we normal people call a 'gut' feeling."_

"You know what? You're almost as annoying as Vile."

I got a laugh from both of them.

_"Okay. Make sure you're sleeping! Have a nap or something. I'll talk to you later."_

"Alright, bye."

_"Bye,"_ D hangs up, and I am left in silence. What a day, but I can't sleep just yet. I still need to do some studying.

* * *

><p>Eight days later I get a phone call. This was not something that I was expecting either. It's nearly midnight, and I am at the small desk in me and my Cousin's room. Yae is sleeping in her own bed.<p>

It's not my regular Cell-Phone that's ringing. It's the small grey one that D gave me. I hope it's just him calling. I quickly head over to my bed and fetch the Phone from under it. Flipping the voice switch, I snap it open and answer it.

"_Red,_" L's voice speaks.

"Oh, hello," I say quietly.

"_Something has happened, Red. This is very important_."

"Really?" I'm interested, and sit on the bed. Vile cocks his head to the side and listens in on the conversation.

"_You remember the twelve FBI agents I sent into Japan, correct?_"

"Of course."

"_All of them died yesterday_."

My hands go numb, and I end up nearly crushing the phone.

"How did this happen?" I ask in a grave undertone.

"_Kira somehow managed to learn of their names and appearances, and subsequently killed them all simultaneously_."

"_Besides_ the obvious," I sigh, shaking my head. Kira's good, but this cements the theory of him being connected to the police.

"_The Japanese Police will learn of this quickly, so I must ask you a favor_."

The great L is asking me a favor? This can't be good. "What is it?"

"_The Task Force will demand to meet me in person, so I have come to Japan. I would like you to come to this meeting, but I need to know if you are willing to risk your life to catch Kira. I need to know if I can trust you._"

I pause for a moment, then smile, "Do you really need to ask? I have nothing to lose and all to gain. I will come."

"_That is good. Do I have your word that you will not send a stand in, or will come in disguise?_"

I pause again, thinking it over. If I show them my face, it won't take them long to learn my real identity; a matter of days, if not hours. Somehow, this seems okay to me. I am not going to back down. I will meet L, in person, and prove that I am as good as he supposedly thinks.

"Yes, but, there is something you need to know before I meet you."

"_…_"

"I lied when I said I worked alone. I have two others that are currently working with me. Both of them are trustworthy. One of them happens to be the hacker you are so familiar with. It was me you were talking to the first day, and it doesn't change the fact that I wish to help. They want to help too. I have nothing to lose, but they on the other hand do. I am reluctant to get them this involved."

"_I see. You are the 'brains' behind the operation?_"

"I have been the one in direct contact with you, so in a metaphorical sense, yes."

"_I am glad I learned about this now, instead of later._" I can hear the annoyed tone of his voice through the modifier, and wince.

"Forgive me for deceiving you in that way. It was in no way meant to harm you."

"_I understand. I will contact you in the next few days._"

"Alright."

The line goes dead, and I let out a long sigh, running my hand through my hair. I press the 'End Call' button and shut it closed. Kira is smarter than I would have thought. We might be dealing with some sort of genius. It's one thing to have the eyes and simply kill the person stalking you, it's another to plan the deaths of all the agents within the country when you have no idea how many of them there are or who they are.

Kira is as cunning as a fox, as sly as a snake and invisible as smoke. He thinks he has good ideals, good intentions, but he is a monster, and I want to see him gone. I want to see him behind bars where he can't hurt anyone anymore. Where he can't defy the laws of the universe and kill people before they expire. How can't he see how _wrong_ that is?

What a fool.

* * *

><p>"Kurai, how are your studies going?" my Aunt asks, trying to break the awkward silence that is probably my doing. I'm sitting down with them to eat, surprisingly. It's been three days since L contacted me, and I am on high alert for the call.<p>

"Fine," I mumble through a mouthful of food.

"Are you alright? You've been a little uptight lately," Yae asks.

"Uptight? Who's uptight? I'm not uptight," I mutter in quick succession, stuffing food in my mouth so that I don't have to speak. I receive concerned expressions from everyone at the table, and a scolding one from my Aunt. She's definitely the one that I don't get along with the most.

And, of course, my phone rings, making us all startle and me internally groan.

"Excuse me," I say, and get up from the table and into the hall. I flip the switch to answer the call, nervously anticipating the following conversation. I know who it is.

"_Red,_"the detective greets.

"Yes. It's me."

"_I want you to meet us at midnight, tonight. Can you do that?_"

"Yes."

"_Listen closely then._"

L quickly tells me the address and name of the hotel that he is staying in, along with the room number. I find myself nodding.

"I'll be there then." Ending the call, I look over my shoulder to find them staring at me. Any smile that was on any of our faces is gone now.

"What was that about?" my Aunt asks.

"Makoto just needs some help with studying," I smile, trying to get them less concerned about me. They somewhat believe me, and I get a smirk from Yae. She can think whatever she wants about us. It won't make a difference.

At around 11:00 PM, I call a cab. It will take a while to get to the hotel (I know which hotel he was talking about) and I don't drive yet (too lazy/busy). Yae glances at me as I tell them where to go. When I hang up, Yae stands up from where she was watching television with her parents and comes over to me.

"You're not going to Makoto's, are you?" she whispers.

"Nonsense," I grunt.

"Don't lie to me. Where are you going?"

"Somewhere that you can't come, and I will go whether you let your parents know or not," I hiss, and she scowls at me, but doesn't argue.

When the cab comes, I quickly slip on a jacket and head out the door. Nobody notices me leaving. Thank god. And no, I am not referring to the God of Death floating behind me.

I tell the driver where to go, and we leave without a word.

* * *

><p>I thank the driver and give him the money, then turn my sights to the hotel looming before me. It's certainly grand. This L is filthy stinking rich, isn't he? Well, I already knew that but it's easier to just see what kind of hotels that he checks into.<p>

"_This guy must be loaded,_" Vile chuckles, easily summarizing my thoughts.

I notice the lack of people as I cross the lobby to the elevator. Nobody really cares that I come in. I'm ten minutes late, thanks to freaking traffic. Going to a super top-secret meeting and then arriving late is rather embarrassing. The door opens up, and I quickly head down the hall towards the room I was told to go to.

And here we are. I am slightly nervous despite myself, staring at the door. It's an ordinary door. I can hear faint voices from inside the room. I have a bad feeling about this, but I'm also excited. This L person is sharp like a knife in wit, and it's refreshing to be able to express the full extent of myself. I enjoy speaking with him, even though the conversations we have are all focused on stopping a mass murderer, and that there's that underlying threat of being killed.

I knock, and all the voices go silent, then one speaks up loud enough so that I can hear it.

"You can let yourself in, the door's unlocked."

I open the door slowly, and find the room is empty. On a coffee table a bunch of cell-phones lie looking abandoned. I see an archway, so I head towards that, and when I round the corner the people sitting in the room give gasps of surprise.

This is, indisputably, the first day of the rest of my life.


	7. Unmasked

**A/N: **This has to be the chapter that gave me the most trouble in all. I got stuck on this in June of last year (or at least I think it was June) because I wanted to completely rewrite it into something else, something clever and not just a chapter repeat. Then I said screw it, several months later, made some changes, shorted the main scene and added another scene, and there you go!

So, yes, this is a little bland because of how much it hugs the episode.

On the bright side, I did some creative things with words and a scene with a Shinigami, so it's all good.

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven - <strong>_Unmasked  
><em>

_ Face to face,  
><em>_They are identical.  
><em>_Back to back,  
><em>_They are complete opposites.  
><em>_Exactly the same,  
><em>_But very different._

* * *

><p>I am met by the stares of six people. Five of them are wearing very formal looking suits. I assume those are the people from the Task Force. Are these the only ones that are willing to risk it all to catch Kira? Apparently so … what a shame. I look at each of their names one by one: Soichiro Yagami, Tota Matsuda, Shuichi Aizawa, Kanzo Mogi, and Hirokazu Ukita.<p>

The last man surprises me, but at the same time doesn't. He seems to be the second youngest, next to the one named Matsuda – in fact he only seems a few years older than me. He is staring straight at me, and is the only one that hasn't made a noise. He is sitting on his feet in a crouch-like stance, his knees up to his chest. His clothes are simple and casual – a white long-sleeved shirt and a baggy pair of faded jeans that he wears over his thin frame. His hair is a mess of black locks that look like they've never been brushed.

What really stands out is his face. He is staring at me with black, seemingly dead eyes. I know those eyes; I have eyes like those. Under them are black circles, but are much darker than the ones I now have. He looks like he's never slept a day in his life. He looks rather surprised; his round eyes are wider than I thought they could go.

"Good evening gentlemen," I say, trying to hold back a smile. I tear my gaze from the person who is obviously L and look over the people from the Task Force.

"Excuse me, but are you the person known as Red?" Mr. Yagami asks me.

"I am. Forgive me if I haven't exactly lived up to your expectations."

"You look like you're still in high school though!" the young one, Matsuda, blurts out. I stare at him through annoyed eyes.

"That's because I _am_ in high school. This happens to be my last year."

"Oh …" Matsuda looks embarrassed as the other Task Force members glare at him. I walk over and take a seat on the couch next to the guy with the afro, not really caring about opinions.

"Well, do your parents know where you are?" The man with next to me, Aizawa, asks.

"They're dead," I state morbidly, and the people there (besides L) shift uncomfortably, "And it's not the business of my current legal guardians." The Task Force looks unsure whether or not that I am credible to be working with them, or if I can fully devote myself to the cause. I expected this, but it still hurts. L takes this moment to make a short statement.

"Red has proven to be an efficient detective. Her deductive reasoning skills are quite remarkable," he says, getting over the initial shock and focusing on the tea pot in front of him.

An incredibly awkward silence fills the room as L pours himself some tea, and then proceeds to put a large amount of sugar cubes in said tea. That's odd; does the tea really taste that bad?

Matsuda is the one to break this new silence, the brave kid. I can already tell that I'll like him, even if he's a bit slow. "Excuse me, L-"

"From now on, I'll have to ask you to stop calling me L. It's Ryuzaki now, just to be safe." Alias after alias, this man is wrapped up in a little bubble of secrecy and deceit, isn't he?

"Uh, okay, Ryuzaki," Matsuda murmurs. The other Task Force members seem off-balance in the presence of this person. I actually find it refreshing! For L to not be a stuck up man in a business suit, to really be a young adult that doesn't put much effort in making himself presentable actually makes me feel relaxed. I don't feel so out of place. I came here in clothes that I wear on a daily basis after all. "If we know that he needs a name and a face to kill, couldn't we cut down on the number of victims by keeping criminals names from the news?"

I see. I only got here a couple minutes after the Task Force then. I wasn't the only one late after all! They must have had the start of a conversation beforehand, but I am annoyed by Matsuda's comment. Of course it's the most obvious solution to the base level problem, but the possibilities branch off from there. Personally I think Kira would do something rash and destructive.

"If we do that, we are only putting the general public at risk," L replies calmly.

"The general public?" Ukita asks. The Task Force seems to be led on, tugged on a string. No doubt these are the mindless henchmen that will do as they're told.

"Why?" Aizawa adds.

L stops stirring his tea, and finally looks up at the rest of us, "Kira is childish, and he hates losing."

"But how do you-"

"Just what do you mean?" Mr. Yagami asks for his confused assistant.

"Well, I am also childish and hate to lose. That's how I know."

I nearly lose my composure and burst out laughing.

"Ryuzaki, would you mind being a little more specific for us?" Mr. Yagami deadpans, not really impressed. I decide that it's _my_ turn to speak up.

"Look what happened when he provoked Kira with that broadcast," I say, and everybody's gazes fix on me. "Kira took it upon himself to kill Ryuzaki's stand in. Afterwards all his victims came from within Japan. He was _taunting_ us."

The conversation continues, to where they come to the conclusion that they can create an obvious bluff. Announce that they're bringing in many, many investigators to sweat Kira out. The Task Force seems really impressed, but I find myself frowning. Only an idiot would fall for that, and this Kira is no idiot. They all seem to think that this will _actually _work.

"So he'll think that there are fifteen-hundred, then there really only eight of us." Aizawa is grinning like an idiot. I get the urge to shave his afro. "And since none of these investigators exist, Kira won't be able to kill them."

"It just might work!" Ukita adds.

"I doubt it," my voice isn't very loud, but everybody immediately shuts up. "You would have to be pretty dull to fall for something like that."

"But it's worth a shot," Aizawa argues.

"We'll find out whether Kira is an idiot or not," I growl.

"Before we jump to any conclusions, I'll tell you the rest of my thoughts on the Kira case," L breaks up the soon-to-be-fight. All the attention is taken from me and is focused once again at the odd detective. They all nod, giving him their undivided attention.

"Kira works alone," a Death Note can only have one owner after all, "He had access to all of our classified information."

"Well, it's not actually that hard to do that," I say, almost laughing.

"Oh?" Mr. Yagami raises an eyebrow.

"I got the information, didn't I?"

"What evidence do you have that he's working alone?" Aizawa asks, ignoring me.

"We know that he needs a name and a face to kill. And to some extent he can control the victim's time of death, and their actions before dying. We already know that much, please keep that in mind" the detective reaches forward and picks up a small black sharpie pen that was on the table, "and listen carefully to what I have to say next."

L quickly outlines important dates and events by scribbling on the hotel table with a permanent marker. This is already information we know. On the 27th of December, as we are very familiar with, all the investigators died, with the addition of many more scapegoats – some actual pawns and others decoys. I voice that opinion. It sounds like Kira came into contact with the FBI, threatened, frightened and manipulated them. Along with those experiments, he obviously learned a few tips and tricks to help him with the slaughter. He's probably experimenting more than we know.

Kira also cut off his own timeline, but we can still narrow down the possibilities. It's amazing, watching all of this at work. L just sacrificed his Rook, to use a chess metaphor. Kira is now suspected to be one of the people investigated between the 14th and the 19th, which L outlines by drawing a big X over the two dates. I raise an eyebrow at all the doodles now on the hotel table. The Task Force is absolutely amazed. "These are files provided by the FBI, and they contain additional information you might find useful. For obvious reasons, you are not allowed to take them out of this room, but-"

"Amazing! There might only be six of us, but with this much information we should be able to cover a lot of ground," Matsuda exclaims. He seemed barely able to hold in his excitement. I find a small grin forming on my face.

"We'll split into two teams. One team traces the FBI agents, the other the heart attack victims," Aizawa suggests. It seems Matsuda's excitement is contagious.

"There weren't that many people who had access to information from headquarters, and of those, the FBI only investigated a small group in the first five days," the young man pointed out.

"Yeah."

"So, any questions?" L growls, evidently surprised by the Task Force's enthusiasm.

"Actually, Ryuzaki, I do have one question for you, and it pertains to what you said earlier about how you hate to lose. Does the fact that you've show us your face mean that you've lost? By just being here, are you admitting defeat to Kira?" Everyone pauses, and I find myself staring at the detective. He seems rather … sad. He looks back at the chief and replies steadily with more emotion than before.

"That's right. By showing my face to you now and by sacrificing the lives of twelve FBI agents, I have lost the battle." I don't know what it is, but I can actually sense a feeling of regret in his tone. Maybe it's because I can actually relate to this scruffy person. I've found myself thinking over the phone conversations that we come to a lot of the same conclusions. It's admirable how he can be so emotionally detached during this, when I was shaking with rage some of the time. "But I'm not going to lose the war." Shivers travel down my spine at the pure conviction in his voice. We _are_ on the same page. We will do _anything_ to catch Kira.

"This is the first time I've ever put my life on the line. I want to show Kira that we're all willing to risk our lives if that's what it takes, and that Justice will prevail no matter what." Then he gives a small smile, and something breaks within me. I actually manage to keep a straight face even if I want to just give into my emotions, give him a gigantic hug and scream out that we all agree. I'm sure K wouldn't hesitate to do that …

Wait, what? Something must be wrong with me …

"Hey yeah, that's right," Mogi says, speaking for the first time that night.

"I like the sound of that," Matsuda visibly relaxes.

"We can do this!" Ukita smiles.

"Alright, let's do this Ryuzaki … and Red of course," Aizawa says, and the others notice me again.

"As much as I like the thought of sticking Kira behind bars, we still have to _catch him_ first," I say, but a smile still graces my lips.

"Before we go any further, I have to be absolutely sure that none of you are Kira. So I will need to speak with each of you individually before you leave today," Ryuzaki says.

"What's the deal, he still doesn't trust us?" Aizawa complains to the other Task Force members. Ryuzaki gets up from his seat, and makes his way to the large un-obstructed windows on the walls. His back is hunched as he walks.

"Relax, it's just a precaution. Think of this way, there is a possibility that one of us is in fact Kira. He just wants to be 100% sure," I say, and the others relax. Mr. Yagami nods in agreement.

"She's right. Working on this case has given us the opportunity to see him in person," Matsuda says.

"He's risking his life to be here," Aizawa says with concern, and everyone looks over to the detective. He has his back to us, and is staring out the window at the Tokyo skyline.

"Yeah, aren't we all," I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Red, can I ask you something?" Matsuda asks me directly. "How did you get on the case?"

"I had someone hack your system," eyes widen, "and this person found the laptop linking the system to L's computer. He tried to hack _that_ to see if there was any confidential information on that, but we were found out."

"Well why did you hack us in the first place?" Aizawa gives me a stern glare, signaling his disapproval.

"I wanted to help on this case. I want to catch Kira. And as you can probably tell, you wouldn't exactly take me seriously if I walked up to headquarters and demanded to speak with you. I would simply be dismissed." I can tell that's true, because the Task Force diverts their eyes.

"You have your whole life ahead of you though, why throw it away on a case that doesn't involve you," Mr. Yagami asks me. I know he means well, but …

"You think it doesn't involve me? You have no idea how wrong you are. It is true that I could have just walked away, but I am not that sort of person. Besides, it's not like I have anything to lose."

It seems that I will need to prove myself before they fully trust me. I don't blame them after all. They feel almost insulted just by the fact that I'm a young teenage girl. It still pisses me off, but I can manage.

* * *

><p>Vile watched, silent and unmoving in the darker corner of the room. It was fascinating. Humans were always great entertainment, with their petty concerns. But this was a change. This was … he couldn't describe it, but it got his shriveled heart pumping.<p>

What a shame it would be when it ended.

It was on a grand scale, a global scale, something that had sparked in the recesses of human subconscious. Ryuk was a lucky bastard for getting the criminal, but Vile was happy that he had come long ago and followed this bloodline.

His human was going to make it worth his while. It was worth putting up with her pathetic family if he could watch all of this unfold with a front row seat.

Oh so very interesting.

* * *

><p>This girl certainly is interesting. She does not seem intimidated by me. No, she is relaxed. No muscles are tense, breathing is normal. I believe this is the real Red. She didn't send a stand in. Although, I am curious to find out how she came into contact with a skilled hacker, and I wish to know who this other person on her team is.<p>

This is the last interview. It's early in the morning, and many of the Task Force seem worn out from lack of sleep. I believe Matsuda and Red even fell asleep for a while on the couches. Red sits across from me on another chair, sipping on a cup of black coffee while wrapped in her jacket.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asks finally, a touch of annoyance in her voice. She stares right at me, undaunted by my gaze.

"I am simply observing," I reply.

"Observing me?" a raised eyebrow, "If I didn't know better I would have thought you were checking me out." I was not expecting that, I will admit. She smiles lightly at my lack of reaction. It seems somewhat forced.

Interesting. Very interesting.

"I'm also curious … you haven't been asking me questions. I thought the whole purpose for this private meeting was to reassure you that I am not Kira," Red says, staring at me all the while over the lip of her coffee mug.

"I do not think you are Kira," I state.

"Oh?"

"Although, having said that, it does not mean you are unsuspicious."

A laugh. She is laughing. "I figured you would say that. It's remarkable really."

"What is?"

"We are more alike than you think Ryuzaki," Her grin vanishes. She is deadly serious, and there is a glint in her dark eyes.

"How so?"

"Our minds are dangerously similar, in terms of thought process. We are different, but we are also very similar. It's uncanny, really."

"Is that all?"

"… Yes."

There is a short silence, as I ponder her words. Unconsciously, my thumb comes up to my mouth and I nibble on the nail. Red watches me with mild interest, and … amusement?

If so, it is slightly unnerving.


	8. A Clash

**A/N: **Pfft, still more chapter hugging, but I set up some events that come into play, majorly later on. I am fixing the whole _'I forgot about Naomi'_ thing, because that was NOT cool, and I think that was bullshit, because she's a badass, and she had more of an impact than that (I read both Death Note spin-off novels, thank you very much).

That and some mild situational humour. And coffee abuse.

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong> - _A Clash  
><em>

_Crimson as a well-aged wine.  
><em>_Rich and thick.  
><em>_Too much, and you find yourself,  
><em>_To incoherent to see._

_ Bright like the flames,  
><em>_Of a dancing fire.  
><em>_Twisting and shifting,  
><em>_Casting a soft yet fierce glow._

_ Red like blood,  
><em>_Flowing from a wound.  
><em>_Glistening and precious,  
><em>_Metallic liquid._

_ Subtle, sly, seductive.  
><em>_Passionate, energized, bright.  
><em>_Important, dark, mysterious.  
><em>_Red.  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Red …"<p>

"Garr, go away," I grumble.

_"Red …"_

"I said go away."

"RED!" Flicking my eyes awake, I see two black orbs right in my face. With a gasp of shock, I lash out with my legs and manage to kick whatever is in front of me.

"Oooff!" The thing I kicked falls onto the floor, humorously making that sound. As the blurriness of sleep leaves me, I look down at the detective crumpled on the floor.

And guess what I do?

I laugh.

"Oh – hahaha! – my god – hahaha! – I'm so- HAHAHA! – sorry!" I gasp out, clutching my stomach. I must have fallen asleep during the interview. I guess my little cat nap on the couch with Matsuda wasn't enough to tide me over.

"There's no need to apologize, it was my fault," Ryuzaki mumbles as he picks himself up from the floor. I still grin, calming down from my laugh attack. I haven't laughed that much in a _long_ time.

"Well, I'm sorry for falling asleep then. What time is it?"

"10:31 AM." This guy has his priorities straight. Funny thing is, I don't see a clock on the walls, and Ryuzaki doesn't appear to wear a watch. "You know, you have a strong kick," he says, eyeing me warily and massaging his lower stomach. It would have _really_ hurt if it had been just a bit lower …

"Thanks," I say, getting up and stretching. He's still staring at me though. It's kind of creepy. "What?"

"Nothing," he turns his back to me to retrieve his tea cup. Figures. Slinging my jacket over my arm and smiling, I head out into the main room without L's go ahead.

"Good morning!" Well, at least Matsuda isn't giving me icy glares. He greets me warmly with a smile, and I smile back.

"Good morning Matsuda." I address the rest of the task force now, "I apologize for keeping you waiting. I fell asleep." Mr. Yagami nods, but the rest of the Task Force seems to shrug off my words and glare quietly to themselves. Brushing this aside, I take a seat and drape my jacket on the arm of the couch. I will bet my Shinigami Eyes that they are unnerved by the fact I am in High School, and that I've practically been keeping up with L.

They are trailing behind him as his worker bees. They don't do any of the deep thinking. No, that's to two young people, one a young adult and the other still in High School. Okay, I guess I can understand why they are upset, and maybe why Matsuda likes me so much.

Pages supplied from the FBI are strewn across the coffee table, and most of the members are still pouring over them. Personally, I don't care what's on them. I just want to see a plausible scenario where Kira could use the Death Note to kill the agents. Then we (or I) can go from there.

Oh, I guess there is a problem with that. When information stops going to D, he is bound to become suspicious. He's a bright guy, so he'll probably figure out what's going on. K might as well. Damn, so much for keeping them out of this.

"What's wrong?" Matsuda asks me. I shake my head.

"Nothing … I'm fine," I say, and give a shaky smile at him. Damn, he reminds me of K! They would be best friends, wouldn't they?

"Would you like to see the data from the FBI?" Ukita asks me, I shake my head.

"You already have that covered. I hardly need to see it. If you find anything suspicious, let me know." He frowns again. "What?"

"Nothing …" Aizawa dismisses the matter, just like I did a few moments ago.

I'm scowling as Ryuzaki re-enters the room with his beloved teapot and cup. He sets it down the table, and resumes his crouch on his chair and fiddling with the Spoons and the Teacup … I hate that noise. Either way, all attention is focused on that goofy looking guy sitting oddly in his chair, the one who will probably have a purple bruise by tomorrow morning.

"I apologize for questioning you all like that. I'm afraid I had no other choice. I've determined that Kira is not among us." Everybody in the room seemed to relax. Ryuzaki puts down the cursed Teacup and rests his chin on his palm while draping his other hand on his knee.

"Ryuzaki, how can you be certain that we're all innocent?" Mr. Yagami asks.

"Well, to be honest, from the beginning I set a number of traps that would reveal if any of you was Kira. After speaking with you one on one, I don't feel the need."

Well that makes sense; points for Mr. Yagami for asking the question though. A small beeping noise fills the room, and we all look over at the source: L.

"Excuse me," the detective says, and pulls out a Cell Phone from his pocket. Irritated glances from the Task Force. "Understood, I'm just about finished here anyway. You got the key so let yourself in." He hung up. "Watari is on his way."

The Task Force blink in unison and confused expressions paint their faces. I remember reading about this person. His identity was also a secret, and he had never shown his face, but he was generally known to be the only one to directly contact L. I guess that it was more literal than they expected.

I stand up, sighing loudly. I am not stopped as I head into the other room to get some coffee. Auh, they are driving me crazy! Do I really have to be the mature one in this? (Me, mature? Nonsense.) I thought adults were supposed to handle their problems better than that. Although, most crime committed indicates otherwise.

Morons.

Hmmm … actually I'm a little guilty myself. Passive aggressive much?

I pour the coffee into a mug, forgoing the sugar and crème, and head back into the other room to reclaim my seat. While taking a sip, I feel L's eyes once again on me. I give him an irritated glance.

"What?" I half growl at him.

"You drink your coffee black?" he asks.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I just find that sugar helps one think."

I stick my tongue out at him before returning my attention to my cup. That's when I notice the near empty bowl on his tea tray. Wasn't that full of sugar cubes last night? On second thought, I don't want to know.

I hear the turn of a lock, and I look over the edge of the couch at the door. An elderly gentleman in a black suit and a bowler hat comes in, putting two suitcases down, and then comes to stand next to L's chair.

"Gentleman, and Lady, it's an honor to meet all of you," he greets us. I glance over his head and see his name: _Quillish Wammy. _Where have I heard that name before … Watari takes his hat from his head and holds it in front of him.

"This person is Watari?" Aizawa says quietly.

"Uh, what about your usual outfit?" Matsuda asks. Well, I _wonder why._

"If I dressed like that I'd be announcing to the world that I am Watari. That's all it takes to give away the location of our headquarters and Ryuzaki."

"Oh, I see," Matsuda says apologetically.

"Ordinarily I would never show my face to any of you. The fact that I am here proves that you have won Ryuzaki's trust."

"Now that you mention it, I do feel honored," Matsuda says, then laughs nervously. I can see practically everybody in the room sweat drop (which includes me). Watari goes and fetches the smaller metal briefcase, then returns to present it to Ryuzaki.

"Well then, I brought those items you requested. It's all here."

"Could you please pass them out to everyone?"

"Yes." Watari opens up the case, and shows them the five police badges inside. "Gentlemen these are your new police IDs."

"Uh, but what for?" Aizawa's question goes unanswered as Watari passes the badges out to the officers. Mr. Yagami stares at them in curiosity.

"Our names and ranks are false …" he says to no one in particular.

"Why did you give us fake IDs?" Matsuda asks.

"As you know Kira requires a name and a face to kill," L says, taking a sip of his tea. "We will confront him with that premise in mind, and I think that it should be obvious why."

"Yes, but of all people the police shouldn't use fake IDs," Ukita objects.

"Enough. What choice do we really have with the capabilities of our enemy? As long as you are working on this case I think we're going to need all the protection one can get. It would be foolish not to use them." You have no idea how right you are Mr. Yagami.

"Yeah, you got a good point," Matsuda agrees. I stay silent, just watching. Aizawa grunts in agreement.

"Remember, any time you are in a situation where you have to give out your name to a stranger, make sure to use the name from your Fake ID. Understood?" Everybody nods. "You as well Red, come up with another name for yourself."

"Right," I nod in agreement. I already have a few in mind …

"And be careful not to take them out while in the presence of other Police Officers. I'm sure I don't have to tell you … that could cause problems for us."

"I understand," Aizawa nods with the others.

"Very well then," Watari says, grabbing the other briefcase and opening it on a table next to the window. "I'd like to request that you wear these at all times."

"Uh, belts?" Matsuda asks. I lift my head up, and sure enough there are six belts in the box. The Task Force rises to their feet, and not wanting to get left behind, I follow.

"Each one has a transmitter hidden in the buckle. This will allow Ryuzaki to monitor your whereabouts, and when you press the buckle twice like this-" We all gather around and watch as he presses down on the buckle twice. A loud beeping filled the room and the elderly gentleman reached into his pocket to pull out a Cell Phone. "My Cell Phone will ring, displaying your name, and I'll call you back immediately, but you won't see my number displayed. In the morning all of you will carry on as usual, and later on in the day we'll use this method to confirm the name of Ryuzaki's hotel and room number." He passes out the belts. "Please use this for emergencies as well."

I look down at the belt in my hands. It's a thin, black belt. Not bad. It's not the same as the other brown leather belts that the others have. I wonder how he knew I wouldn't like the other ones … Maybe he phoned Watari while I was passed out.

I don't really need a belt. The jeans I wear are tight enough around the waist to go without. But I guess we all need to make sacrifices. I quickly loop the belt through and fasten the buckle.

"No way, this is totally cool! I feel like some kind of secret agent going after Kira!" Matsuda exclaims cheerfully.

"Quiet, Matsuda! This is not the time to be fooling around. Knock it off!" The Chief scolds him. Matsuda has the expression of a kicked puppy.

"Yes Sir …"

"Come on; let the guy have a _little _fun. It's not as though we need any more morbid thoughts and grim moods," I say to Mr. Yagami.

"That's not really professional. This is a crime investigation, not a social event," Aizawa says to me. I look over at him.

"I am perfectly aware of the situation. However, I find that if I am emotionally content, I can come to conclusions more quickly. I can't think when I'm depressed," I say right back at him. The Police Officer looks flustered, and angry.

"You're just not taking this seriously," he argues.

"If I wasn't being serious, do you _really_ think I would be here?"

"You're just a kid!" he shouts at me, and then quickly quiets down. Everybody is watching our argument, seeing how I will react. I stare at the ground, shadowing my face. I can feel each and every stare burning into my skin.

"If I die, the world will go on. What's happening right now … I won't let it continue, even if I _do_ die."

There is silence, they are mulling over my words. I see Ryuzaki watching me with intent interest out of my peripheral vision. I give a harrumph of annoyance. "Either way, I should be going," and with that, I head to leave.

"Red." That deadpan voice will never cease to freak me out, will it? I pause in the doorframe, not looking over my shoulder.

"I would like to meet your … accomplices," Ryuzaki says seriously, "Tonight at the same time if possible."

"I can't make any promises," I say quietly, then close the door behind me. I lean against the wall, letting go of the breath I didn't know I was holding

This didn't go too well.

No, not at all.

I have failed in protecting K and D. They will get completely involved whether I approve or not.

* * *

><p>K is nearly hyperventilating. I can't believe her; she's so embarrassing. D is calmer, but also visibly excited. Why I, of all people, have to get stuck with these two as friends?<p>

We exit the cab and head towards the large, _fancy_, double doors of the hotel.

"I can't believe this! It's so exciting!" K is nearly bouncing up and down now.

"You guys are more suspicious than a creepy guy in a mask offering little kids candy," I groan, leading the way. Why do I put up with such nonsense? K and D laugh hysterically at me. I was making a comparison, not a joke! At my scowl, D sobers up and smiles at me.

"Relax, _Niiro_," he says, stressing on my new alias.

"You're the one who has to relax, _Donju_," I stress his alias as well.

"No fighting, please," K smiles as we enter the elevator.

"So, what's he like?" D finally asks me. After I told them I had met L in person this morning … they had been pretty shocked and excited. When I said L wanted to meet them, they nearly passed out. "Or is it even a he?"

"_He_ is different than what you would imagine. You're just going to have to wait and see."

"_Awww_," They pout in unison.

The elevator stops, and I waste no time in finding the hotel room. The one I was at just this morning. I knock quickly, not wanting to be rude.

"The door's unlocked," Ryuzaki's voice calls out. I open the door, and find that the room is nearly pitch-black. With a growl, I flick on the lights.

He's standing not five feet away.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," K starts hyperventilating again, getting an eye roll from myself. She puts her hand over her mouth so she will stop making loud noises, or at least until I close the door behind us.

"Is she alright?" L asks, tilting his head slightly and staring at her.

"That's so freaky! Oh my god …" I thump K on the back.

"_Breathe_," I command. K nods, and takes in some air. Then she surprises L … by tackling him. Neither D nor I are surprised by her actions, but it's still kind of amusing. I can't help myself when I crack a small smile.

"Ah, what in the world-" L gasps out as he is hugged-to-death.

"You have Panda eyes! Just like Red!" K says, releasing him from her grip. They both get to their feet. I actually feel sorry for the scrawny detective, being tackled by a strange girl who you've never met before.

"Panda … eyes?" he says, obviously confused. I'm surprised he hasn't heard the term before … although, I hadn't either.

But still, his reaction is hilarious. I laugh.

"What's so funny?" L asks me.

"Sorry, it's just that's exactly what I said when she pointed out them on me," I say, still giggling.

"Except his are way worse than yours; he looks as though he hasn't slept in years! And yours disappear more or less when you get a good night's rest," K comments as she reaches up and grabs L's chin so she can look at his face more clearly.

"Come on Kaen, give the guy some room," D says.

I can almost see gratitude in his eyes, or is that just my imagination?

The Shinigami are laughing hysterically behind us, but we've long past the point of caring. They are easily ignored as soon as you get used to their presence.

"Now, if you wouldn't mind, we have things to discuss," L says, going into the other room to where his tea tray still sits. We follow, and I sit down on the couch. The others are a little hesitant, but soon enough join me.

"So, you three are Red," L says, eyeing us.

"No, only me," I say, "But we have worked together on this. Donju here is a better hacker than I would have imagined."

"Hey!" he protests, offended in my lack of faith in him.

"Donju … then consider me impressed. To be such an efficient and skilled hacker at your age is quite remarkable. How were you able to reach a professional level?"

"A close family member taught me," D said.

"Well he is clearly confident in his skills," Ryuzaki's mouth forms a thin line, and he stares down at his toes. He rubs them together, as though scratching an invisible itch.

"What is it?" I ask.

"To be honest, I did not really consider the possibility that you all could be so young. It was such a low percentage, after all. Yet here you are."

"And I bet you didn't think that Red was a woman either," K said, giggling slightly.

"That crossed my mind, but it too did not seem likely."

"I have a feeling that that isn't the only reason you wanted to speak with us," I say calmly, changing the subject.

"Correct. I wish to discuss the implications of the possibility that Kira can kill in other ways."

"I see. What about it?"

"Well, if Kira could kill in multiple ways, then we can narrow down the list of suspects considerably. I have looked over the data of all the recent deaths, not just heart attacks. There was a bus jacking during the time one of the FBI agents was trailing a particular policing family. It was very close to where he was at the time. It could even be possible that this agent was on this very bus, and was forced to give out his name."

"I assume that the man who hijacked the bus is dead?"

"Hit by a car when he exited the bus."

This is exactly what I needed.

"What is the name of the FBI agent?" I ask.

"Raye Penbar."

"I see …" I guess I should look over the files after all.

"There's something else. I tried contacting his Fiancé, to see if she suspected something was going on. If something was wrong with him, she would be able to pick it up-"

"It sounds as though you know her pretty well," D interjects.

"Not really, but I worked with her on a small case in LA two years back. I never actually met her in person, but her skills are very impressive. She was an excellent FBI agent until she resigned three months ago."

"So you would be able to trust her judgment?" I ask.

"Yes. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to contact her. It seems she hasn't been seen since the day after her fiancé died. It's a bit too early, but I suspect she may have gone missing."

"Suicide, maybe?" K asks, serious.

"No, she is too strong for that. It's more likely she would start investigating on her own."

The implications hit me head on. "Wait, does that mean Kira's already gotten to her?"

"Possibly."

I frown, "He could have her commit suicide in a secluded place where no one would find her, or arrange an accident somewhere hard to reach … assuming he can kill in other ways." L looks me over, eyes strangely sharp. I stare right back, almost daring him to ask.

"Yes."

"Well, this isn't good," D grumbles, running his hand through his hair.

"Not at all," I say as well. "Well, what are you going to do?"

"I won't make any moves at this moment. I need to go over the video footage of Raye Penbar's death first to see if there is anything suspicious on the tape. If my suspicious become fruitful, I will make my move."

"Sounds good to me," D nods, as do I.

"Yeah, let's catch Kira!" K does a little fist pump.

I can't help but feel a little bit better.


	9. Drunk

**A/N: **And as some of you probably remember, this was only for shits and giggles, although, having said that, this is referenced more than once later on ...

**MOSTLY FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES, OKAY?**

I like to yell.

Also, like I adressed in my huge first chapter Authors note, I'm lazy and didn't read up on Japanese law. The legal drinking age here in Alberta is 18, so there you fucking go. Also, I've never actually been drunk, so this is more of a guess and witnessing various examples on 'Cops' and other reality shows (not to mention that one time in Mexico that my mom had one too many Pina Coladas).

- DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine - <strong>_Drunk  
><em>

_ Tipsy, Tipsy,  
><em>_Filled with Whiskey.  
><em>_Can't see strait,  
>F<em>_all on your face.  
><em>_Can't think,  
><em>_Throw up in the sink.  
><em>_Your drunk.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>January, 5.<em>

I wait until my aunt and uncle are asleep. Yae is working again tonight, and she should be gone until … 2:00 AM? She has the night shift this week. Oh well, better for me. I flip open the laptop and boot it up.

I quickly enter Watari's real name into the Google search engine. Google is a great thing … No wonder the guy who invented it is filthy rich. I wonder what would happen if I came up with something like that?

Oh look, I knew I heard that name somewhere. Watari is a famous inventor! Oh ha ha. I was just thinking about inventing things. See how that works? Heh, even I surprise myself sometimes.

Well, now that that is out of my system … what now? I could search up L's real name, but somehow that does not seem like a good idea. I will bet my Shinigami eyes that all information on his previous self is long gone. Or is it?

Meh, I won't take that chance. What if my computer blows up from some virus that will be impant-

Oh, where the hell did that come from? I have no clue~.

My head hurts.

I think I might throw up …

_Ring, Ring!_

Ow … what is that?

Phone! Right, it's a phone.

I reach over somewhere, under the bed I think. I quickly pull out the shiny silver thing. Wait, how do I answer it again? Oh, right! I flip it open.

"_Red, there is some-_"

"OH! Hi Ryuzaki~! How's-it-going," I slur with a goofy grin.

"_Erm, alright I suppose. Are you alright?_"

"I think so," I say into the phone.

"_Red, are you drunk?!_"

"Maybe …" I give a hiccup. Ryuzaki starts speaking again, what is he saying?

"_Red, are you even listening?_"

"What-was-that?" I mumble.

"_Are you underage?_"he asks seriously.

"Ye- wait, no, I'm not. Today is my eighteenth birthday … So I'm not doing anything _illegal._"

"_I see_."

"No you don't. You can't see me … unless you installed cameras."

"_I did n_-"

"I knew it! You're a pervert Ryuzaki. Ha ha ha hah ah."

"…"

"What?"

"_How much alcohol did you have?_"he asks, and it almost sounds like he's impressed. I look around for a few seconds. Oh! There it is, the bottle sitting by my foot, and a couple others …

"I-dunno. A LOT."

"_Oh lord …_"I heard him sigh on the other end.

"What, are you catholic Ryuzaki?" I giggle at the thought.

He brushes the question aside, "_What kind is it?_"

"I'm-not-sure," I slur.

"…"

"Hey, uh, Ryuzaki, what did you want again?"

_"That can wait until tomorrow. You should get some rest."_

"No, wait. Please don't go …"

"…"

What is wrong with me? One moment I'm happy and now … why is my face wet? Am I … crying?

"Just … don't go," I sob.

"_Are you crying?_"

"_No_, my face is l-leaking. Of course I'm c-crying stupid!"

"_Well, why are you crying?_"Is that a teacup I hear clink? I hate that noise …

"I j-just don't want you to go … I don't want to be alone again."

A pause.

"_Why are you alone?_" he asks.

"I'm still a human being. I'm not a monster. I'm not crazy. I'm just … human."

I break down into sobs, and I can't even seem to get a word out. I swear I hear the door opening, and shouting. The phone yanked out of my hand, then silence.

* * *

><p><em>"What the hell Kurai?<em>"I hear from the other side of the phone. Red broke down into hysterical sobbing roughly three minutes ago. I doubt she would ever have said those things to me if she was sober.

Red really was drunk.

"_Hello, who is this?_"a person asks from the other side. Presumably Red's cousin? She sounds too young to be anything else.

"Ryuzaki," I answer automatically while putting more sugar cubes in my coffee.

"_Well, Ryuzaki, how do you know Kurai?_"

"I'm a friend of hers from school."

"_I see. Do you know what happened to her?_"

"I believe she is drunk."

_"Drunk?!"_

"There's no need to shout …" I grumble, pulling the phone away from my ear.

_ "Is she eighteen?!"_

"She said something about her Birthday being today."

_"Wow …"_

"Can you do me a favor?"

_ "What is it?"_

"Make sure she gets some rest; she is going to have a very bad hangover."

_"Right, I can do that."_

"And another thing, if it isn't too much trouble."

_"Yes?"_

"Wish her a Happy Birthday from me when she wakes up," I say, and then hang up the phone before I get a reply.

Watari chuckles from across the room. I glare at him. Things just got a bit weird.

* * *

><p>Auh, my head hurts … really badly. What the hell did I do last night?<p>

I try to open my eyes, and – gah! That hurts. Maybe I should just … lie here until my pounding headache subsides. I attempt to recall what I had been doing the night before, but alas I can't remember, so I just give up.

The pounding quiets after a while. I manage to sit up and open my eyes ever so slightly. Why is it so bright in here? The curtains are drawn open.

"_Oh wow, you look horrible!_"I look over at the source of the voice. It's just Vile.

"Shut up," I growl at him.

"_No need to be so grumpy,_" he laughs. He must be having a great time.

"Not in the mood," I hiss, and then look down at the ground. My laptop's there, with the lid shut, and on the ground next to it …

Oh.

It's a collection of alcohol bottles.

Damn.

I was drunk … and now I'm having a hangover.

Worst.

Idea.

_Ever._

With a loud groan I got up and headed to our shared bathroom. I wonder what time it is. Auh, I _do_ look horrible. My eyes seem shrunken into my skull. My skin is paler than usual, in a sickly sense. The bags around my eyes are darker. My hair's a mess. And I look as though I would kill anyone to get close to me – like a starving animal.

But I don't feel hungry. In fact I think I'm going to-

I hurl right into the sink. The bile is disgusting on my throat. In a gap between throwing up, I gasp in air and make my way over to the toilet and sink down in front of it only to throw up more of the contents in my stomach.

I barely hear the door open in another pause. Then Yae is standing in the doorway. She flicks on the lights for me and gazes down at my sad, pathetic form clutching the toilet bowl as my insides come up. She seems to almost … pity me.

As the last of the retching subsides, I shakily get to my feet and begin to wash out my mouth.

"You really shouldn't have had so much," Yae says. I study her reflection. She doesn't seem to be mocking me, but I scowl at her anyway.

"Yeah, well, my mistake," I grumble.

"Hey, um, you were talking with this guy last night when I found you. Well, that's not true, you were sobbing at him."

"Makoto?" I ask.

"No, this other guy, said his name was Ryuzaki."

I feel my stomach drop. "What did he say?" I ask with a groan.

"He just wanted to make sure you were alright. He sounded pretty worried actually. He also says Happy Birthday."

Oh god. What have I done now? I don't even fucking remember! I hope I didn't say anything _too_ embarrassing. "I don't remember calling him … I should probably call him back and apologize."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. I have no idea what's going on between you two, or what you were talking about, but you were extremely drunk and crying your soul out at that phone. It was a bit of a challenge to get the phone out of your hand."

_Please_ shut up.

* * *

><p>I look down at my lap nervously as the phone rings, and rings again. Pick up dammit!<p>

Yae insisted that I stay in bed. She was going to help cover this up for me, just this once.

_'But if you get drunk again, you're on your own!'_

I can still hear her shouting in my ear …

Anyway, I was going to feign sickness today and tomorrow, and then life would go on. Today I won't have any trouble faking. I feel as though I could die, of embarrassment if not throwing up my internal organs.

It's tomorrow that's going to be harder. Yae is going to tell her parents about how sick I am, and to not go in there. She said she would bring me up some food later. I just hope I don't throw that up too. In the meantime, I am calling that dark-haired detective to apologize for whatever the hell I did last night.

I hope it wasn't something too embarrassing, or revealing. I hope that I didn't say anything about his name or the Shinigami Eyes or being the owner of a Death Note or anything of the sort for that matter. I don't want to be detained for suspicion of being Kira.

_Worst._

_ Idea._

_**Ever.**_

I am _never_ getting drunk again.

_"Good morning, Niiro. I do hope you are feeling better this morning."_

"Stop with the sarcasm or I will personally shove something down your throat."

_"That wasn't very nice," _he doesn't sound hurt at all. In fact, I can hear traces of _amusement._

"I don't care. Hey, uh, sorry about last night. If I said anything … inappropriate, please forgive me."

_"Do you remember what we were talking about?" _he asked.

"Nope."

_"Good. Don't worry, you didn't say anything, _inappropriate."

"Well what _did_ I say?"

_ "That's strictly confidential between the drunken you and I."_

"It's still me!"

_"I don't see your point."_

"Damn you! Enough with the innocent act and tell me what the _fuck I said!_"

_"No need to be so loud …"_

"I don't care! Just tell me!"

_"Yelling won't make me tell you."_

"Auh, I swear. Next time I see you I am going to make you bleed."

_"Well, then I won't tell you where I am."_

"Just tell me what I said!"

_"No."_

"Come on!"

_"I doubt you would want to hear what you said."_

"But _you_ knowing makes it even worse! Just tell me!"

"Hmmm, no, I don't think I will."

I start swearing profanities at him, then stop abruptly with a groan. I rub my temples with my thumb and forefinger while holding the phone in the other hand.

_"Headache?"_

"No shit Sherlock," I reply grumpily, but it only makes him chuckle with amusement.

_"That is a common side effect of a Hangover."_

"Again, no shit."

_"Is there anything you need?" _He asked. I blinked in surprise.

"What?"

_"Well, I believe it is a polite thing for somebody to offer assistance to someone in need. I can have it easily delivered."_

"Hold on, do you know where I live?"

_"Well, with your cousin's help, I was able to find out who you were before the forensics test came back."_

"Do you have any idea how insufferably annoying you can be?"

_"Yes, in fact I do, _Kurai," he says smugly. It's kind of weird to hear him calling me by my first name.

"Just stick to calling me Niiro. And no, I don't really need anything."

_"Good, because there is something I need to discuss with you concerning the case. And we obviously couldn't talk about it last night, seeing as you were … drunk."_

"Yeah, yeah, get on with it already."

_"Last night we were looking over the surveillance videos of Raye Penbar's death, and the events leading up to it."_

"Did you find anything?"

_"Yes, actually, we did. It seems Raye had an envelope with him until he exited the train, and he stayed on the train longer than it required. As he died, the envelope was nowhere to be seen, and he was also striving to look back inside the train."_

"Could he be looking at Kira?" I ask. This is it! This is _exactly _what I've been hoping to hear! The scenario I've wanted to know.

Kira could have found out Penbar's name. Then put pages from the Death Note in the envelope. He would have gone in person, to show Penbar that he really was Kira. Somebody would have to die …

Then he would make Penbar go on the train. I read that all the agents were sent a file before they died. Kira could have Penbar write down his colleagues' names …

They would all die, and Penbar would die on the platform.

It makes complete sense.

_"Possibly," _Ryuzaki once again yanks me from my train of thought.

"Ryuzaki, how many died in the area at that time?"

_"Four."_

"I think we should focus on the people Raye was tailing, _immediately,_" I say.

_"I agree. I will propose having cameras and wiretaps placed in those houses."_

"Good. Which people were being followed by Penbar?"

_"Deputy Director Kitamura, Detective Superintendent Yagami and their families."_

"Mr. Yagami?!"

_"Yes."_

"Heh, interesting."

_ "Indeed."_

"Ryuzaki, I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me for the time being. If you find something, by all means contact me, but for the moment I need to focus on studying."

_ "For the To-Oh entrance exams?"_

"Damn you."

We both laugh lightly.


	10. Schemes, Gods of Death and Coffee

**A/N: **Cleaned this one up a bunch, so I'm a lot happier with it.

Long ass chapter title is long.

- DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten - <strong>_Schemes, Gods of Death and Coffee  
><em>

_ Death,  
><em>_She embraces us in her cold grip,  
><em>_When we take our final breath._

_ Death,  
><em>_He holds our hand,  
><em>_When we say goodbye to those we love._

_ Death,  
><em>_She gives the gift of peace,  
><em>_When we can no longer stand the pain._

_ Death,  
><em>_He greets us peacefully,  
><em>_As a friend._

_ Death holds many forms,  
><em>_And fills many roles.  
>I<em>_t's up to us to interpret Death.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Ten days later …<em>

Last little while has been busy. In the past few days, in my opinion, we have covered a lot of ground. We watched over the Kitamura and Yagami houses, and found absolutely nothing suspicious.

_'I have concluded that the surveillance footage gathered reveals … nothing,' _L had said.

He suspects that Light Yagami, son of Mr. Yagami, is Kira. I did not participate in the surveillance of that house to come to any real conclusions, much to my disappointment. If I had been able to see a live taping of Light, I could find out if he was an owner of a Death Note.

I was _so_ close!

And yet, there is still that little issue of _evidence_. Without evidence, Kira cannot be convicted. From what L has described to me in one of our more private conversations, Light seems a little too perfect. He is constantly studying, has top grades, is very organized and never gets into trouble. That he is a little _too_ perfect.

In all honesty, I agree with L, but, I need to see for myself.

I heard from Mr. Yagami that Light is going to be attending the To-Oh entrance exams. I'll be there too, so that works out nicely. I want to talk to Light, see for myself what kind of a person he is. It's one thing to hear from the detective, it's another thing to judge for myself.

Light seems like an OCD kind of guy. He seems confident in his own judgment and skills. He _would _fit Kira's profile nicely.

Still … evidence.

I'm walking back home from a nearby bus stop. I've tried to take a variety of different transportation methods to meet with the Task Force and L. Last night was just a night where it was only the two of us, discussing our opinions and having heated arguments over the subject. Both of us have found them very productive and interesting at the very least. The more time I spend around the detective, the more I find that we are very similar.

Scary similar.

So it's roughly seven in the morning, and I'm walking home from the bus stop. Then I will spend the day studying for the entrance exams. Today is the 13th, and the exams are four days away, on the 17th.

I'm not nervous at all.

I rummage through my pockets and draw out my keys, then open the door. Wait, why are the lights on? I thought Yae usually rolled out of bed later than this. I close the door behind me and shrug off my jacket.

"Kurai?" my insides shrivel up as my aunt turns the corner.

"Erm … Hello," I say awkwardly.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" she half-shouts at me. She's wearing what looks like an apron and holding a wooden spoon. I have a bad feeling that I am in a huge amount of shit.

"Worried?" I grunt, hanging up the coat in the closet.

"We had no idea where you were!"

"I'm not a child!" I snap back, mood ruined instantly. I was feeling good actually, and then she had to treat me like I was nine years old.

"But-"

"Enough," my Uncle growls, coming down the stairs. He looks rather tired, and is wearing sweatpants and an undershirt. I fight the urge to scrunch up my nose in disgust. "Where were you, and don't lie."

What's to stop me from lying? "A friend's place," I say.

"Makoto or that other girl?" my Aunt asks, and I shake my head.

"You haven't met him."

"Is it that Ryuzaki guy?" I hear Yae ask, she comes out of the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in her hand and a spoon in the other. Is _everyone _awake?!

"Maybe," I shrug.

"Who's he?" my Aunt puts her hands on her hips.

"I don't have to tell you about everyone I spend time with or where," I growl.

"Well you are living under _my _roof, so you will follow my rules. I want to meet him," my Uncle growls back. I open and close my mouth like a fish gasping for air, before I scowl.

He is _not _going to like this.

I know that they're just worried about me, but this was going to be hella embarrassing.

* * *

><p>I rush down the stairs, pulling on a sweater and limbs feeling shaky.<p>

The bastard, he laughed at me. I should really get out of here, but with all the stuff going on … I mean, they offered me a place to stay if I'm in school, and Yae is just working for a year before she goes off to college. A good deal, but it certainly has its drawbacks right now, and because of this I managed to get an actual_ laugh_ out of the detective.

No, he didn't think I was joking.

However, I thought he was going to come in a day or two, but instead he arrived today. He is prompt, I'll give him that. He looks away from the wall that he was examining and gives me a small smile. All I can do it stand there and stare slack-jawed, which I know is not polite.

He looks different though! I don't know what the hell he did to himself, but he actually looks almost like a normal person. He only has a slight slouch, nowhere near as pronounced as before. I can't see the circles under his eyes (or should I call them Panda eyes?), and his hair is slightly neater. He is wearing the same jeans, and a pair of battered tennis shoes. His hands are shoved deep into the pockets of a white winter jacket.

"Hello Kurai," he says, voice still a monotone though.

"Hello," I say back after a momentary pause. Yae walks past me on her way upstairs, and nudges me with a mischievous smirk on her face. I send her a death glare over my shoulder. He looks around at the interior and even takes his hand out of his pocket to tap a vase my Aunt has on a credenza with his thin fingers. I jump the last three steps and send him an apologetic smile that says 'Let's get this over with'.

We head into the kitchen, where my Uncle is sitting at the table, reading a book. That happens to be his 'spot'. He looks up from what he's reading and looks at the person standing behind me.

"Ah, you must be Ryuzaki then," he says, folding the corner of the page and closing the book. He gets up and walks over to L, and shakes his hand.

"Rue Ryuzaki, nice to meet you," he replies, returning the gesture.

They make small talk, and I wait patiently until they are done. L told him that he was a classmate of mine, and was going to take the exams for To-Oh as well. His cover story worked well enough for my Uncle, and he managed to pull it off without looking like the oddball that he really is. Lying really is the answer! All those parents that said lying never solved anything are wrong in this moment. My Aunt and Uncle don't need to know the truth. In fact, their ignorance is the very thing protecting them.

And it protects the world for that matter.

They finish their unnecessarily drawn out conversation, and then my scruffy friend asks me a question I never thought I would hear him say,_ ever_.

"Want to go get some coffee?"

It takes me a few seconds to realize what he means: _Let's get out of this place; these people are getting on my nerves. _Of course, my immediate reaction, all the while in my head and in the span of a few moments, is something along the lines of: _Who are you and what have you done with him? _But, really … this is L we're talking about – the Sherlock Holmes of the century.

"Sure … just let me get my jacket," I say hesitantly, and then go do just that. We're out of there before they can even say 'bye'.

We walk down the street side by side. I'm still a little confused, but that's not a surprising reaction. I find it odd that I may have just domesticated a big, important, world-changing investigation. It's a little on the awkward side, and while I'm right in the middle of it even I can tell how strange the situation is sometimes.

Oh, this is a game, but it is a game worth playing.

"That went well," Ryuzaki finally declares, speaking as himself this time and not the cover-up he invented so quickly.

"I guess. Thanks for covering for me," I say with a slight humorous edge in my voice. Even I have to admit that the entire situation was downright hilarious. He faintly smiles in return when I playfully nudge him with my elbow.

"No problem. I can't let a great detective like you go just because of stubborn guardians."

"So if I suddenly wanted to back out of the case you wouldn't let me?" I raise my eyebrows with a smirk.

"…"

Let's just leave that question in alarmingly large, and still growing, pile of unanswered questions, shall we?

"Anyway, you wanted to talk about something?" I ask him.

"It's about the upcoming entrance exams to To-Oh," he says after a moment, not even bothering to look at me. Usually, he'll look me in the eye when speaking. This is concerning.

"What about them?"

"I will be attending them, in an effort to get closer to Light."

Oh, so _that's_ what's been bothering him!

Hold on.

"_What_, you can't be serious!" I shout at him. Fortunately for the both of us, there are no people in the immediate area to stare at us. I think I hear him mutter something along the lines of _'I knew you would react like that'_ under his breath before answering me.

"I am serious, very serious in fact. I believe Light is Kira, and in order to further evaluate his personality and the possibility that he could be Kira, I wish to get closer to him and test him."

"I can do that though! I'm going to his University anyway!" I cry.

"And why would he trust you enough to reveal anything to you? If you told him that you were on the investigation, it could pose further problems for us. Your name is within his reach. You would be put in danger." His tone has become sharp and quick, but me being the stubborn person that I am, continue to defy him. He's not my boss.

"I could go undercover!" I protest.

"Yes, maybe, but he still wouldn't trust you. In fact, he may devise a way to kill you."

I grow low in my throat, narrowing my gaze in his direction. He meets it with the same intensity. I know very well that Kira will attempt to kill me. "At least listen to my plan before you make any decisions," he says.

"… Fine, alright. Be my guest," I grudgingly agree.

Apparently the plan is for L to attend the entrance exams using one of the many aliases and positions that he holds, and subsequently enter the collage. He predicted that Light would get a perfect score, so L plans to match this.

When the Ceremony starting the year finally rolls around in April, things will get really interesting. During the Ceremony itself, L will confront Light, and reveal that he is L. I protested as soon as I heard this, but I became silent as I heard his reasons.

He will go under the alias Rue Ryuzaki, which is not his real name. He had wanted to use a name of somebody famous, so that if in the unlikely situation of that Idol dying they could arrest Light for being Kira immediately. Thanks to my cousin, who knows him by the name 'Rue Ryuzaki' now, things could get complicated once again if evidence were to clash.

So no ridiculous alias for him.

Still, Rue Ryuzaki is _definitely_ not his real name, and will serve its intended purpose for protecting his identity. Hell, he doesn't have an 'r' in his name at all.

In the meantime, if Light were Kira, he would hesitate to kill L because he would know that the detective wouldn't just hand out his real name. Points to the supposed genius Light! Also, he might doubt that Ryuzaki was the real L, and if it wasn't an alias, and that man died Light would be convicted as Kira.

L was in the perfect position to gain the advantage and defend his territory. He's closed a box around Kira. The only problem was that he has to show his face, and that will give Kira half of what he needs. He would only need someone with the eyes to kill L. Someone like me.

L doesn't know that.

After the Ceremony, some point shortly after, L wants to give Light a test on his deductive reasoning abilities. It seems like Light has waited too long and played his game a little too cautiously. He might as well have picked up the 'skip a turn' card.

"Would you mind if I gave you the same test?" L asks of me as we approach a small little coffee shop. I can smell it from out here.

"No, not at all," I reply, and we go in. I'm in better spirits than before, but my mind is working non-stop, formulating plans and alternate-plans. My gut agrees with L on this one. I desperately want to believe that Light is Kira and that the search is over. At the same time the thought terrifies me.

We find a nice secluded corner where nobody can eavesdrop on us, have our orders taken, and then delivered. I ordered a regular coffee, but L had to go all the way to order the most sugary thing he could and a pastry. I noticed his fetish for sugar a while ago. It's kind of weird, in an insufferably adorable way.

"As you know, Kira committed experiments before the FBI agents were killed. In the time that I received the first suicide note until now, I have received several others." He hands me three photographs – one is familiar, the other two aren't.

"And how come you haven't shown me the other notes?" I frown, earning a small smile from him. His eyes glint with something that passes too quickly for me to identify.

He didn't say that these are the only notes.

"Are these it?" I ask.

He grins wider at me. "No, here," and he hands me one last photograph.

That's better.

_L do you know_

_ Gods of Death_

_ Love apples_

_ Have red hands_

These are in the order that he gave them to me. An excited tingle passes up and down my spine. Oh, I love this. If I keep them in that order they spell out a plausible message:

_L, do you know Gods of Death [who] love apples have red hands._

Yet … something doesn't seem right. L gave me three to begin with. If I take out the fourth note and keep them in that order …

_L, do you know Gods of Death love apples?_

That seems better. The second one seems to fit Kira's profile better. He likes to mock and taunt us: tell us that he's better than us. The first one just seems … like a cover up.

"This is sure to mess Light up, regardless of being Kira or not."

"What makes you say that?" L asks a little too innocently. I can tell he's smiling on the inside.

"This fourth note is a fake," I reply and set down all four notes on the table.

"Why on earth would you think that?" His smile is visible now.

"Well, firstly, you never gave me the four notes to begin with – only three. Now why would that be? Knowing you it's to mess with Kira when he's presented with this problem. If there really were only three notes, he probably wouldn't even consider a fourth note, and you would count on it!

'Another thing, there are _two_ messages to be interpreted: one with all four and the other with three. The one with four doesn't seem right to me, while the one with three seems to match his personality better.

'In conclusion I think that Kira sent the first three notes, and you faked the fourth in order to make the test more interesting."

"It's truly amazing how far your deductive reasoning skills have come. You are correct, and I am impressed," L says, grinning at me. His thumb is pressed to his lip and other arm crossed over his knees as he sits in his odd manner. Another quirk I noticed: he has some sort of oral fixation.

"Thank you." I have my own quirks, so I am in no position to judge.

Wait a moment. Gods of Death …

I _knew_ it! _I fucking knew it!_ I was right! Kira uses a Death Note! Ten points for Red!

Vile doesn't like apples … maybe Kira's Shinigami does? So it's a personal preference?

"Kurai, how would you try to determine that a person is Kira or not?" L asks me suddenly.

"I would try to get him to say something that was classified. And that test is one way to do it!" I tap the notes with my index finger three times in a quick succession, leaning over the table on my elbow.

"Yes."

"Brilliant!"

"Kurai … Red … can you promise me that you will not try to take matters into your hands when dealing with Light?"

For once he is completely and utterly deathly serious. I sit back down, straightening my back and studying him with guarded eyes. My smile slides off my face as I mull it over. I cannot agree, I find in the end, and I'm not even taking into account that I own a Death Note too. "I'm sorry Ryuzaki, but no promises. If it makes you feel better, I'll try."

He frowns, obviously not pleased. Unfortunately for him, he can't order me around like the other members of the task force. I'm also _far_ too stubborn. Even if he were to get down on his knees and _beg me_, I wouldn't be able to give my word to him.

I'm just not the kind of person to sit on the sidelines. Thank god Ryuzaki realizes this.

"Very well," he says quietly, almost broken.

We finish our coffee in silence. He pays for us (such a gentleman) and excuses himself, leaving me behind alone in the coffee shop.


	11. Run

**A/N: **I filled in some plot holes here and added more development ... a lot less angsty, again. More explanations.

**GUESS WHAT!**

So, those of you who've read this before, you know what happens after this? Well fuck that. I rewrote the entire next chapter and scrapped that event entirely. The basic basis (try saying that five times fast) isn't gone, and the premise for a scene was just too good to let go, but other than that it's completely new, and I bet you'll love it!

So I'm going to post it later. LOL.

Eh heh, you already knew that I was a bit of a troll. :/

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven - <strong>_Run  
><em>

_Away from  
><em>_What we fear  
><em>_Hate  
><em>_Love._

_ To what  
><em>_We need  
><em>_Hate  
><em>_Love._

_ A pause,  
><em>_Change.  
><em>_Stopping  
><em>_Eternally.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Today is the Day, which is very well a relative term, but I chose not to care in this situation. So, to clarify, today is the day of the entrance exams.<p>

I'm not nervous at all.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want a ride?" my Aunt asks me as I prepare to leave the house. I'm bringing a couple of pages of my Death Note with me (just in case), my work phone and my regular phone. I'm going with Makoto and Kakushin to the exam hall to meet Ryuzaki, and then take the blasted test.

Today is going to be interesting in the very least. Oh, this is what I've been waiting for. My blood is boiling. I love it.

Not nervous in the _slightest._

"I'm fine," I say to her. She has no idea what I'm really doing. I'm going to go find Kira. In reality, I _could_ be risking my life.

All the better.

"Alright then, good luck!" she finally relents.

"Yeah, thanks," I nod, step outside and close the door behind me. I might as well humor her. There's nothing wrong with that.

It doesn't take me long to meet Makoto and Kakushin by a park a short walk from my house. We decided to use that as a meeting place because it's mutually close to all of our houses. As I walk up, I see that the two of them are already there and waiting. It seems I'm usually late.

"Kurai~!" Kakushin yells and glomps (_def.: a flying tackle hug_) me. I panic for a few short moments that seemingly last forever as a bundle of blonde energy comes hurtling after me. I step to the side and watch as she tumbles past me before falling face first into the grass. Considering that she's older than twelve, this looks quite strange but at the same time funny as hell. Both Makoto and I burst into laughter.

Kakushin picks herself off the ground, dusting off her sleeves and pouting childishly. "Thanks, Kurai," she half-hisses, half-growls. I can tell that she's amused as well.

"Okay, before you skin me alive for that, I have something to say. Kuru, Vile, I assume that if you see another Shinigami, you won't tell us?"

"_Yep," _Vile chuckles.

"_I will not,_"Kuru replies. He's not as menacing as Vile, and if you beg long enough and appear pathetic enough he can do you a favor. He doesn't really like to get involved in our business that much.

"As expected – do you think that the other Shinigami will tell the one they're attached to?"

"_Nope_," Vile still chuckles, like he knows something that we don't. Quite frankly it's creeping me out. I stare up at him through narrowed eyes for a moment before quickly smiling and glancing away.

"Good," I say while clapping my hands together, "Let's go."

* * *

><p>It doesn't take us long to get to To-Oh. Of course, we took a cab, which very well could be cheating, but we were all going to be significantly late otherwise.<p>

Anyway, we arrive there shortly, and find Ryuzaki waiting for us at the gates. I raise my hand in greeting, which is returned. Kakushin, to my dismay, runs up to the detective and hugs him. I deadpan at my friend, wondering for the umpteenth time how she became my friend in the first place.

You can't just run up and hug a world renowned detective, who happens to be a genius, and expect to remain in high regards to him or your friends?

Yes, she expects that, but we love her anyway, despite her eccentric personality.

"Has Light arrived yet?" I ask when Makoto and I get close enough, both of us trying not to laugh much.

"No," L replies, trying to squirm his way out of the hug. The poor guy has learned to fear her bone-crushing hugs. They suffocate you with affection!

"Kakushin let him go," Makoto chuckles, and she does so with a sheepish grin.

"Aw come on! He's so damn huggable! Why do all the best guys have to be so huggable?" Despite ourselves, both Makoto and I laugh, hysterically, while we leave Ryuzaki in a state of utter confusion.

"'Huggable' is not a word …" he mumbles, and we laugh harder, to the verge of tears.

"Hey, you four, exam's starting in ten minutes!" a guy, presumably working for the University, shouts at us. After a quick set of apologies and much tugging in that general direction, we head towards the exam hall.

And of course, at the worst possible moment …

"I'll catch up with you guys. I have to go to the washroom," I say, laughing a little. They look back at me, shrug, and let me go with a few words of 'see you there'.

* * *

><p>Of course things never turn out the same in execution as they did in preparation.<p>

I'm _lost. _

Exasperation at the blatantly obvious irony sets in. This could very well be the most important event in my life, and I am fucking lost, not to mention late. I bring my hands up to massage my temples at the oncoming headache.

"Are you alright?" someone asks me. I look over to see one of the janitors watching me with raised eyebrows.

I nod frantically. "I'm looking for the entrance exams … got lost on my way back from the bathroom."

The janitor gives me a sympathetic yet obviously amused smile before pointing at something on the wall. Lo and behold there are signs pointing to the testing rooms. I deadpan at the sign before sighing and briefly thanking her. My embarrassment is clearly visible. Already I've made an impression.

As soon as I turn the corner I take off in a flat run, keen on making it before they decide to lock me out. After a few dangerous and close turns, a nasty collision with a stairwell rail and nearly running over several people I finally catch sight of the room where I am _supposed_ to be.

"Wait! Hold the door!" I shout, and the door _thankfully_ stops closing. I rush into the room, panting, and pause at the front to catch my breath, "I … here."

A ripple of giggles, eye-rolls and sighs course throughout the room, and I can see from here that Makoto is smirking lightly, Kakushin is giving me a small 'thumbs-up' and L … giving me a death-stare. _Thanks_ for your support guys!

"Please take your seat," the annoyed voice of the supervisor says to me. I look over my shoulder to see his unimpressed face staring at me. I go quietly and meekly to my seat, not meeting any gazes and keeping my head down. I fail spectacularly at not drawing attention to myself.

As I go, I feel a sudden nagging feeling at the back of my head, one that gives me an uncomfortable sensation. I search for the source and lock gazes with the last person I expected to.

Light Yagami.

And I look above his head.

Oh, we are _so_ screwed.

* * *

><p><em>"Ryuk,"<em> the husky voice greets with a rotten smugness. A shadow, hidden from the mortal world, emerges from the silent darkness. It's beady, malignant red eyes watch the clown-faced Shinigami as he leaned against the wall, tossing a single red apple up and down. His buggy, yellow eyes were trained on its shiny surface.

_"Keh, I didn't expect to see _you_ here,"_ the blue one, Ryuk, chuckled, eyes sliding over to his company. Vile's jaws parted slightly in a mock-grin.

_"And yet you followed me here,"_ Vile spoke with much amusement, watching the other closely.

_"Maybe I just got bored," _the blue Shinigami caught the apple in his hand, clutching it tightly, but not tight enough to break the skin.

_"So you came to watch the show, did you?"_

_"Well at least _my_ human has his sights focused on something bigger than your little pet does,"_ Ryuk hissed, smirking before tossing the apple at his apparent elder.

_"That's _boring_ though,"_ Vile laughed heartily, shaking his large head. "_Humans like that are so _predictable_. They're plain, ordinary. It's the ones like mine that you really have to look for that are the most interesting."_

_ "Oh, I don't know about that. Light's pretty interesting: the way that he and that L character fight is pretty entertaining. Of course, the fact that you're here must mean that your human is involved in this too."_

_"Obviously,"_ Vile sneered dryly.

_"I told Light a few of the things that you learned, you know. I hope you don't mind."_

_"It makes the game all that more interesting, so no, I don't mind. But you don't strike me as the type to meddle."_

_"I'm only providing the tools,"_ Ryuk retorted. _"It's too much work to change anything. I just want to see how this turns out. Humans are quite fascinating."_

_"Indeed they are Ryuk, indeed they are,"_ Vile laughed before noisily crushing the apple between his teeth.

* * *

><p><em>Okay, now how the hell did this happen?!<em>

I took the damn test, even though I was shaking the whole time and feeling like I was going to throw up. Okay, so L was right! I can't do undercover work! I'm a total wreck!

Right after our freaking exam I left the hall with the speed of a freight train. I didn't meet with Ryuzaki, Makoto and Kakushin because I needed to think in privacy. So I headed off to the bathrooms! And before I got there …

_He_ appeared!

"What's your name?" he asks in an ever so seductive voice that would probably make all the girls in the city melt into little gooey puddles. This son of a bitch! It's not working on me, no; it's making me want to throw up!

"Why do you want to know?" I ask, trying to squirm my way out. I feel like a cornered animal, and all rational thought has long flown out the window. My voice is filled with venom and loathing. Yeah, I definitely _cannot _do undercover work. Confrontation only works if I'm the one in control, but I've been uprooted when I discovered Light's apparent ownership. I'm scared and angry and this makes for a bad outcome.

You see, this is the situation: _h__e has me pinned to the freaking wall!_ He has one arm on either side of my head, standing uncomfortably close, to the point that I could probably _sue _him, in a hallway with _nobody_ around. What _the hell_ am I supposed to do?!

"I saw you at the exams," he says, staring me right in the eye. Oh, that's an obvious trick, stating the obvious. I try to look out of the way, over his shoulder, anywhere but those eyes! There's something about them that's completely despicable and _horrifying_. The moment I locked eyes with him, I knew. I _knew_ L was right. And when I looked above his head and I saw that there was no lifespan, I nearly cried out.

What I really hate is that I _know_ what he's doing! He's going to pretend that he didn't notice me looking above his head, that there's _nothing wrong_. He will try to butter me up and wrap me around his finger. In his mind, he thinks that women are lesser than him, that he is a god, and no one can deny him. I know people like this. It isn't uncommon. This is a trick born from habit. He's perfected his technique long ago.

Light Yagami is most definitely a pretty boy that uses his charm to manipulate others. I bet he got all he wanted his entire life. From what Mr. Yagami explained, Light has a very sheltered life, living with constant praise. He probably plays them all for fools.

I hate him.

"Yeah, so, I saw you too," I snap back in reply, no witty remarks springing to mind when I need them. Everything is on shutdown.

"You're very pretty, and your eyes are intelligent."

Oh god, I want to slap him so bad. I am _this_ close to actually doing that. Unfortunately I could be _arrested_ for that, and since we don't have evidence of his identity as Kira, I won't be able to play a 'get out of jail' card.

"Just tell me what the hell you want, or I swear to god that I will kick you in the balls," I hiss, staring him full in the face and giving him a death glare. He just smiles at me (cocky bastard) and leans in so that his lips brush the outer shell of my ear.

He has the eyes of a killer.

"What else can you see with those eyes, hmm?"

My blood runs cold.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"I think you do. I saw you look at my lifespan."

This is definitely Kira.

"You're crazy," I spit.

"Stop denying it," he grins, leaning back to look me full in the face again. His hand comes up and cups my chin.

_Why I aught a –_

"I'm not denying anything," I growl, and I do something that he doesn't seem to like.

I spit in his face.

He doesn't seem to care, and wipe the spittle away with his sleeve (letting go of me, thank you God!).

"You're not like the other women," he frowns, "Tell me, what do you think of Kira?"

"Kira?"

Get yourself together! You can't mess this up! Not for L! Not for this investigation! I can't let them down! I steel myself, calming down finally, well, sort of.

"Yes. You know-"

"I know who he is!" I growl, "Why would you care what I thought about him?!"

"I care because he is going to lead the world to a new era. One filled with peace and prosperity. No more crime, no more wars."

He's delusional! If I had a voice recorder he'd be in jail faster than you could say 'oh fuck'.

"You could help make that world a possibility, with your eyes …"

Of course he would want to use my Shinigami eyes … its fucking ideal!

Calm down. I _need_ to calm down. Complete panic if a base instinct. Fight or flight. I need to fight, but I need to be calm about this.

"I don't understand what you mean," I say.

"Yes you do. You know _exactly_ what I mean."

"You're delusional," I repeat.

And I am interrupted by his desperate move.

He fucking kisses me!

Okay, there have been a few times in my life where I have totally flipped out and beat the crap out of someone. This usually happens when a person pushes my buttons, I don't like it, and I flip out. I broke this kid's collar bone once when he called me a freak and pushed me off a rock. We were playing 'King of the Hill' and I wanted to be the King. I climbed up, and the kid pushed me off rather forcefully. What really pissed me off was that this kid wasn't even the King! And this was a very high rock!

So I broke his collar bone and was suspended.

When his lips press against mine, all that fills me is a boiling hot rage that slightly obscures my vision and turns it red. I can't think of anything except: _Die! Die! Die! You fucking son of a bitch! Die! Die! Die!_

I follow through with my threat to kick him in the balls.

He goes down.

Kurai one, Light zero.

I kick him three times after that: once in the head as he falls to his knees, twice in the gut as he falls over and a third time in the chest.

And I run.


	12. Watch

**A/N:** I've been on leave of absense because damn, I'm losing my inspiration and confidence. I haven't really had it in me.

So I completely rewrote this chapter, and it's quite a bit better than the last version of this chapter, which was shit. This one also sets up more character development and a new plot device that I've been using.

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve - <strong>_Watch_

_The bell tolls  
><em>_Loud and clear.  
><em>_They look up  
><em>_At the same time  
><em>_Watching  
><em>_Waiting  
><em>_Wondering.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Oh, how the cowards run, <em>always<em> running. Never once do they stop, never once to they _dare _look back, or they will die.

I do not dare look back.

My mind won't stop working. It's starting to ache, but it will not halt, not for anything. I plan, scrap those plans, come up with contingency strategies that I brush aside as nonsense and start all over again.

_Light Yagami is Kira._

The undeniable truth asserts itself and repeats nearly constantly in my mind. It's like a broken record, skipping back to once again declare that name to the empty chaos of my stuffed head.

He wants to kill me, I know it.

_He doesn't know my name._

The thought is oddly concerning. I've just disturbed the hornets' nest, poked the sleeping bear, slapped a shark and metaphorically unleashed a fucking demon. _I know what he's going to do next._ It's my fault, it's my _entire fault._

He can't kill me – he won't kill me because he just _can't_. So he'll kill others. Maybe it'll be innocents, politicians, activists, or those innocent until proven guilty? I can't tell at this point. He's angry, he wants blood, because L could be in _his reach_ by now, with my ability.

I have the eyes, he's aware of my presence, and I am in this for good. It just got all the more personal. Will I rise to the challenge?

He's going to kill them and I can't do a damn thing about it.

I'm going to be sick.

No, no, no, no, no. There has to be a way!

But there isn't. There just fucking isn't. There's no real way to predict who he'll choose. It's chance! Or maybe he won't kill anyone, which I know is a vain hope, but I need to have a little. Maybe he won't kill anyone and laugh in my face because I've been expecting it: an elaborate prank.

That's no good. He's intelligent –_ naive_, but glaringly intelligent. Light Yagami is not an idiot.

I'm going to have to accept this loss. I made a mistake, and people are paying for it. **PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! **

That's not good. I'm a little _too_ angry. It's a good thing this is _all inside my head_, or I'd be locked away by now.

… Inside my head.

I'm not _thinking_ anymore at this point, I'm rambling. Come on Kurai, you can do this.

Kira's just lost something valuable to him: a tool that he'd hoped would become his blind follower. This isn't happening. He'll want to find me. He's going to bide his time, so he won't search for me, but he could very well leave a message.

I have to watch now. I need to retreat and not put myself forward. I have to watch until the time is right.

The entrance ceremony, of course! Ryuzaki is going to reveal that he is L at the ceremony and try to make Light uncomfortable. We'll have _him_ pinned to the wall instead. He'll be sweating under his collar, and then all of a sudden here I come, and he realizes that I am somehow connected to the investigation. It wouldn't be hard to figure out that I'm helping L. Oh that'll really get him going.

And then what? He'll be pissed, that's for sure, but he's going to want to do something. He'll get closer to the investigation through his father. L will have already contacted him and will draw him in with the little test he has planned. That's where I'll find my safe spot. He can't kill me because I've met him and I'm connected to the investigation. He won't have the opportunity to find my name until that time.

I'll be okay.

It still doesn't change the fact that people are going to die because of me.

I slouch a little more and walk hurriedly down the street.

* * *

><p>I don't even <em>look<em> at my relatives as I storm inside, slamming the door behind me. They all jump simultaneously as I pass through like a dark storm cloud. My breathing is heavy and my hands are shaking. My stomach is churning because I'm expecting that I'll be sick when I have to look at the autopsies and photographs and reports on the newest killings, the ones that break the pattern.

The ones meant for me.

I slam the door to our shared bedroom too, not even bothering to turn on the lights. Vile's presence doesn't register. I'm not sure when he joined me, but I don't really care (not that I'd noticed at the time in the first place). My body trembles as I sit on the edge of my bed and the acidic taste of bile fills my mouth. I rock back and forth, elbows on knees and hands joined in front of my face, which my head leans on.

I don't even _blink_, because I'm still thinking a mile a minute and I wonder about how many are going to die, and _how_ they're going to die, and _what message is Kira going to leave me_. Light had the eyes of a sadistic killer. They're all puppets to him, so murdering them in cold blood in as many painful ways possible is _nothing_ for a motherfucker like him! **Absolutely nothing!**

"Kurai, tell me what happened," a voice says firmly, shaking me out of my spiraling. My gaze flicks over to the person in the doorway, light framing their form as it streams in from the hallway. Yae didn't ask a question.

"Why would _you_ care," I sneer, and she flinches at my tone.

"You're family."

She enters the room to stand in front of me. I look up, glaring white hot fury right at her, silently willing her to turn to ash. "This isn't something you can just lock away, Kurai."

"And why not?!" My voice is a little harsher than I intended, and I know she's hurt. I feel a small twinge of guilt – I crush it ruthlessly.

"You'll break! This isn't something you can handle _alone_, for god's sake, you're only _human!_"

Only human …

I'm crying.

She takes my hands and kneels on the ground before me as I somehow communicate my panic. I keep repeating 'my fault' and 'they're dead'. Oh, I know that she doesn't understand the scope of the situation. I let her believe that I'm talking about my parents.

I cry until I can't any longer.

* * *

><p>"Oh God, Kakushin, he's Kira, and I've done something stupid …" I start to ramble at an almost incomprehensible pace. Kakushin gives me a blank look before gripping my shoulders and shaking me until I shut up.<p>

"Better?"

"Yeah," I breathe.

"Alright, you need to calm down. Start from the beginning. Nice and slow this time," she says, and I close my eyes. She has no idea how reassuring that is. I take a deep breath.

"L was right. Light Yagami is Kira," I croak, sitting down in a chair in her living room. There's no one here besides us.

"Great! Now we know where to go from here, all we need –"

"That's not all K. There's more, much more."

"Sorry, please continue," Kakushin shortly apologizes before taking another seat. I have endless amounts of gratitude for her right now.

"When I walked into the exams, I had this odd feeling. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up and I felt as though I was being watched. You know the feeling. So I look around, and _of course_, he's staring right at me. I then do the single most stupid thing I've ever done in my entire life."

"This doesn't sound good."

"I looked right at his lifespan, K. It _wasn't_ there, and he noticed me looking. _He knows._ He knows about me and the eyes. And afterwards, when I got out of there, he confronted me and I made him mad, _really mad_."

Kakushin watches me with wide eyes, her mouth open in surprise and horror. I've wound myself up into a frenzy again. "Kakushin he's going to _kill someone_ because he can't kill _me_. I don't know _how many_, I don't know _who _but it won't be his regular pattern. He's going to send a message to me, in _blood_."

"Oh my God," she whispers.

"It's _all my fault,_ Kakushin. They're going to die because of _me_."

"Shut up."

I startle and stare dumbfounded at her.

"Don't you _dare_ say that this is your fault, **ever**, do you understand? _He's_ killing them, _not_ you! Never for one moment think that you are the cause of this!"

"I am –"

"**NO!** Kurai, you're my best friend. You're not a murderer. They won't die in vain if we can put Kira down, alright? Their lives are beyond our reach, but we can prevent a global disaster if we take him down. You decided to help when you picked up that notebook, so don't you _fucking dare_ back out on us now!"

People's lives are at stake, and not just ours.

I'd almost forgotten.

"Alright," I whisper hoarsely.

* * *

><p>A month and a half passes.<p>

I'd been called in for an emergency meeting. I hadn't expected it, honestly. I'd almost convinced myself that it wouldn't happen.

When I see what he's left me, I cannot even move in my terror and disgust.

Oh god, he _fucking _didn't.

There are photographs and reports, just like I knew there would be, but there's also a recorded video of Ukita going through the crime scene, and reports from the news. It was in a public place, where everyone could see. People got above in helicopters and filmed it in action, and in aftermath.

They were criminals that had been recently released, were on parole or had cooperated with the police to reduce their sentence. Each and every one of them was dead, of course by a heart attack, but that's not all that happened.

When they collapsed the bodies were aligned to spell out a single word:

_Watch._

"Who could he be addressing? Is he addressing me, or the world as a whole?" L wonders out loud, but I don't even hear him at this point.

It means: _Watch as I change the world. _

It's addressed to everyone, really, but I guess it's also me in particular. He wants us to watch as he uproots society and becomes a god, but this is also his way to say to me _'fuck you, I didn't need your help so you'll die like a dog and there's nothing you can do about it'._

I hadn't even realized that I'd spaced out and dropped my lunch until L shook me back into reality. I was staring right at the small TV in the room, sitting in a chair, while the others passed by me, reading the reports and studying the photographs and such things, completely out of it.

L is observing me, studying my actions closely, very closely. His eyes are stone, and he can feel my trembling from his grip on my upper arm. His voice is commanding and leaves no room for argument as he dismisses the Task Force. They are confused and surprised, but they follow his orders without question. He lets go and waits until everything is silent again before speaking.

"Tell me," two words, so simple in meaning. He wants to know why I've reacted in such a way, and there's no way that I could come up with a reasonable excuse. There's just no way.

"I can't," I say weakly after a few moments of trying to pull myself together. I won't look at the grisly picture on the television anymore.

He closes his eyes for a few moments before once again focusing on me. His eyes are a little more open than before. "Can I trust you?"

"Where did that come from?" I rumble, getting out of the chair to stand and challenge him. I'm a head shorter than him, even when he slouches, so the effect is basically ruined. We stare off, and I practically dare him to take it back, I dare him to say that I should leave, but most of all I dare him to demand that I tell him what I know. Yes, he knows that I'm hiding something big, something important.

His voice is cold when he speaks next and it shocks me to my core. "I need you to look me in the eyes, _right now_, and tell me that I can trust you, understand?" I gape at him, before swallowing and glancing off to the side. "Niiro, this is important. I need you to do this."

Swallowing thickly, I scowl and look up. Yae and Kakushin's words came back to me. This has happened, and it's my job to fix it. "You can trust me," I say, completely honestly and sincerely.

His severe expression softens, and he frowns. I'm nervous for a moment. "Alright."

Just like that.

It's so obvious that I'm lying right to his face half the time, and I'm sure he knows it, but he still trusts me so easily. Of course this could just be an elaborate ruse and I'm totally walking into a trap (he does these sorts of things), but I don't think it is.

Oh, I hope I'm right on that one.

I cry.

I embrace the taller man in a hug as I let out the last of my shame. This is a scar that will last forever. He's awkward, Ryuzaki, but he has a good heart. He lets me cry and hug him, rubbing small circles in my back.

After a while I separate us, chuckling dryly in embarrassment. He returns with a small, hardly noticeably smile.

"So, what do you think?"

He's good. He knows that I have to distract myself with this. I shake myself out of my little funk and focus on the small TV.

"It's obviously a message, as you know. It was very deliberate and meticulously planned, down to the smallest details, so I don't think there will be any more. It would take too long. It's a single word message, and it could be directed at anyone, but it's probably someone specific. Could be you, you know. There were three-hundred and sixty of them, which is as many days as there are in year. So it wouldn't be much of a jump to assume that this is a message to you to watch as he changes the world (he works internationally, so that bit's obvious) in one year."

"He'll obviously infuriate many people with this," L comments.

I silently thank him. Breaking this down logically with another person, to detract from the whole, awful truth, and to come to terms with it, will help in the long run.

"It's an intimidation tactic," I continue, "He's daring us to try and stop him, because he doesn't believe that we _can_ stop him. It's his ego speaking right there. 'Look at me; I'm Kira and I can do this, what can _you_ do?' There isn't a timeline that we can know of, so either he's bored or something happened on his end. –"

And so on and so forth.

The talking is good. It helps. We'll catch him.

He may have won the battle … again … but like L said, he will not, under any circumstance, win the war.

I'll make sure of that, even if it's the last thing I do.


	13. Game

**Chapter Thirteen - **_Game_

_Circles, turning  
><em>_Circles, yearning.  
><em>_To and fro,  
><em>_A constant flow._

_ Life is a game,  
><em>_Be the player,  
><em>_Or the pawn?_

* * *

><p><em>April 4, 9:34 PM.<em>

My keys jingle in my pocket as I slip on my jacket. There are words that I want to say, and he knows that I need to get them out, so he patiently waits as I adjust my jacket and button it up. My back is to him as he stares out the window at the Tokyo skyline. The Task Force has left hours before, and it's just been the two of us for a while.

"What name did you want to use as an alias anyway?" I break the ice with a simple question.

"Hideki Ryuga," he replies, eyes switching from watching the sky to watching me as I check the time on my phone. I laugh shortly, imagining the reaction that the crowd in the auditorium would have if he were to be introduced by that name.

"You have a strange sense of humor," I chuckle and shake my head before turning to look at him.

"You're one to talk," he says, amused, with a small grin.

"Birds of a feather flock together," I retort gleefully.

We are silent for a moment as I collect the right words. "I'm going to be right behind you; I can't miss this. Both of us know that this is probably Kira, and he might do something rash after that stunt he pulled last month. I think it's time that I show him my connection to the investigation."

"Are you willing to risk that?" he says after a moment. His eyes are unreadable.

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Hardly," he snorts and looks back through the windows.

I head towards the door, smirking lightly. My hand comes to rest on the handle before I hesitate for a moment.

I think it's time I told him; it's time that I tell him something important.

"You know, I never mentioned this before, didn't think it was important, but I ran into Light just after the exams."

I hear the shifting of fabric, and then the familiar weight of Ryuzaki's gaze settles on my back. My smirk melts into a sad smile as I leave the room and head for home.

* * *

><p>"Good man," I tease playfully as Makoto reluctantly slaps some bills into my hand. Sure enough, there's Light, sitting in the front, wearing a brand spanking new suit, like I can still see the folding lines new. It is indeed impressive.<p>

"So what so we do now?" he asks. Makoto is sort of my right-hand man for this operation. Kakushin is our 'eyes from the sky', as she put it, and is instead scoping things out from afar. She's been working hard too, in her own way. Kakushin has been subtly crafting a network of unknowing informers. I find it ironic that she's better at espionage than I am.

"Well, I'd like to grab a seat as close as we can without him noticing."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"How about I skulk around the back for a few minutes, and you go save me a spot right behind where Ryuzaki is going to sit."

"Sounds good to me," Makoto chuckles before heading off to claim our chairs with his hands in his pockets. I don't tell him that he looks like a loser because he's wearing a bowtie instead of a normal tie. He said that he didn't have any. I'd say that he's a liar and just likes it.

"Why is he wearing a bowtie?" I nearly jump out of my skin. Ryuzaki is as quiet as a phantom when he wants to be. I elbow him in the ribs for it and get a satisfying grunt of pain.

"He thinks they're cool," I say back.

L quickly changes the subject, "How long are you going to stay back here?"

"Just until Light's focus is somewhere else. I'll slip in when he's not paying attention."

"That shouldn't be long then."

What he says is true, because just after he mentions this Makoto motions me over. I give a good-natured sigh and a quiet laugh before saying a short 'good-luck' to my detective friend. When I arrive and take my designated spot I discover that Light is in mid-conversation with one of the people next to him. He doesn't notice me at all, which I am thankful for. He can't know, not yet at least.

I've been waiting for this.

Watch me work.

The ceremony is dull, as expected. They drone on about many unimportant things that I don't really give a damn about. It's all formalities. The world would be so much more efficient if we could get over all these trifling outward appearance matters, in all fields.

Alas, this is the way that the world has been shaped.

And finally, like a gift from above, the representatives are called forward.

"And now for the freshman address. Freshman representative: Light Yagami." The speaker pauses, waiting for the wonder child to appear from the crowd. Said boy stands, giving a small 'yes' in acknowledgement. The speaker then continues, "And freshman representative: Rue Ryuzaki."

Here we go.

From the back I can hear L giving an awkward and tentative 'here'. He's not half bad at acting, and can change his voice on the turn of a dime. Not to mention the fact that he speaks multiple languages. I had a serious scare one night when I was awoken from a nap to angry German yelling.

The other students in the auditorium have no idea who this new guy is, the one that matched the scores of their 'golden boy' Light Yagami.

As the two representatives approach the stage (L emerging from the back of the room) I can make out Light evaluating his fellow. I think anyone would be perplexed at Ryuzaki's presence.

Conversations break out and spread like wildfire throughout the room, and I can even make out a few of them close by. I know eavesdropping is rude, but I'm pretty sure I have the right to know what they're saying in this circumstance.

"The student who scores highest on the test is supposed to give the speech, right?"

"I guess both of them must have had the high score this year."

"I heard that both of them got perfect scores on all subjects."

_"Seriously?"_

"It's hard to believe that there are actually people like that."

I want to laugh, really. The three who were conversing are broken from their talk when Light finishes his speech and respectful clapping echoes through the room.

"Man, these two are total opposites."

"Yeah, this one looks like a sheltered genius who's been groomed for success his whole life, but that one … there's something not right about him. He's just freakin' weird."

"This guy must be what they call a 'mad genius'."

"Coming to the To-Oh Entrance Ceremony dressed like that? Unbelievable! Either he's crazy, or he's just toying with us!"

These people, these wonderful ignorant people. Standing side by side, close enough to touch, are two people who are trying to kill each other. At this moment in time they could very well be the most important people in history. They are the leaders of the new age.

Let's just see what the new age will become.

L is standing up on the stage, right next to his greatest opponent to date. He looks completely relaxed. Oh, the person was right, he _is_ toying with you. He's toying with Kira too. His speech is delivered in an uninterested tone, jumping from one word to another like he's simply reading them and not actually thinking about them.

By the time that the numerous skeptical conversations come to a close, Ryuzaki has finally finished the painful drivel that is his speech.

The pair joins Makoto and I, but Light doesn't notice our presence yet. Already they are speaking, and I can clearly see how freaked out Light is right now. The thought is oddly satisfying. They're in mid-conversation, to which L is leading.

"–You are planning to join the police agency when you graduate. And you've already got experience, seeing as you've already helped the police solve a number of cases in the past, now you're showing an interest in the Kira case."

I am now glad that I am not the one sitting there, going undercover. L probably has a lot more experience in this area than I do.

"I am impressed by your abilities, and your sense of justice." Just stroking his ego, aren't you? "If you promise not to tell anyone about this, I have important information concerning the Kira Investigation that I want to share with you."

There's a certain weariness in Light's eyes when he looks over at Ryuzaki. He has no idea what to make of him; he's completely dumbfounded.

The trap has closed in on Light. There's no escaping now.

We got you.

There is a pause from the killer, as he mulls over his answer.

"I won't tell anyone. What is it?"

Check.

"I want to tell you that I'm L."

His voice is so quiet that I can't actually hear him, but I don't even need to. Light's eyes glaze over for a moment, and I can see one of the muscles in his neck twitch. He's going berserk on the inside, probably. He's starting to panic.

"If you are who you say you are, then you have nothing but my respect and admiration," Light says, managing to pull himself together in the nick of time. That's where he slipped up. A normal person would be reasonably surprised.

Of course, this is my time to shine. I shift in my seat just enough to catch Light's eye, which I succeed in. The teen's eyes meet with mine, and I let myself smile a little bit.

He completely loses it.

"Thank you," L says, drawing back our suspect's attention. "The reason I chose to reveal my identity to you is because I think you could be of some help to us on the Kira Investigation."

Light doesn't answer.

He's shaking. It's hardly noticeable, but it doesn't change the fact. His hands are clenched so tight that his knuckles are white. I can't tell if he's even in the room anymore or if he'll even notice when the ceremony ends.

It's glorious, this feeling, the glorious sensation of putting Light in such a difficult position. Don't slip up on me now, Light, or you're dead.

Kurai two, Light zero.

My Shinigami laughs.

* * *

><p>I watch like a hawk watches its prey. L and Light leave the auditorium at the same time. There seems to be a tension between them, but neither of them outwardly shows it. The students around them stand listlessly, chatting with friends or waiting for others.<p>

Light's gaze flicks over to me, and for a moment I think he toys with the idea of coming over to me. My grin widens.

Makoto raises an eyebrow at me, wondering why I'm acting the way that I am.

I mouth two words: _'I'm watching'_.

His eyes widen, his chest stops moving for a moment and his fingers twitch.

Watari choses this time to roll up beside Ryuzaki in his Roles-Royce. There are murmurs spreading through the crowd again. L says a quick goodbye to Light before he seats himself in the back. Light replies in turn, but his eyes linger on me.

He knows that he has a new opponent.

The first round goes to me.

* * *

><p>Ryuk was a little spooked, if you could even call it that. Humans were fickle creatures.<p>

After deciding to take a break he fled to the roof, where he was now watching the sun as it set. The sun was interesting too, he decided – they didn't have one in the Shinigami's world.

"_Why are you up here?"_ a voice startled the clown Shinigami. Ryuk looked over his shoulder with wide eyes, his various ornaments tinkling.

"_That's what I should be asking," _Ryuk said.

"_Fair enough,"_ Vile laughed before the lizard joined the clown on his perch.

"_What did your human do to get Light in a twist like that?"_ Ryuk had never seen the human in such a state before. He was flipping out. The brown headed teen had even started throwing things at Ryuk. The man was trembling in rage, his eyes had become dangerous.

Light had become a psychopath; he'd strayed from the path he'd started out on. It wasn't even about his perfect world anymore. It was more about the game.

They'd hit him hard.

Vile laughed, his menacing maw chattering as it clicked together. _"You were there, Ryuk, you know the answer."_

"_It's really getting to him, you know."_

Vile silently acknowledged it. The story was progressing, the gears turning, the players moving. The action was rising, in almost every sense of the words. I wasn't long before the silence was broken.

"_This is the reason that I came to this world, Ryuk. Human lives take on many forms. Some are more interesting than others."_

"_How much would you like to bet against Light winning?"_

"_I can't do that."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I'd have to step back then, I wouldn't be able to 'meddle', as you put it."_

Ryuk laughed, showing his own sharp teeth.

"_Are you going to help her?"_

"_It depends, Ryuk. I don't want the game to end."_

"_Neither do I,"_ Ryuk agreed.

"_I think that they secretly think the same thing."_

No one really wants the fun to come to an end.

No one wants the story to close.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** More Shinigami involvement! Missed that bit last time.

I applaud anyone who gets the bowtie reference.

And does anyone agree that it would be absolutley terrifying to hear L yelling in German? Especially if you were sleeping and woke up to it. Hillarious, but absolutley terrifying. :|

- DW


	14. Curse

**A/N: **Pretty much the same, not really anything new. Just cleaned it up.

I think I would like Light's character a lot more if he wasn't such an egotist or a pretty boy (not into that stuff). Hell, I don't even disagree with Light. I'm really cynical.

Anyone watch Dexter?**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen - <strong>_Curse_

_White smile in the dark.  
><em>_Evil eyes stare through your soul.  
><em>_Death and destruction.  
><em>

* * *

><p>"What do you mean 'there's a Tennis match going on between Light and Ryuzaki'?!" I stutter, looking at Makoto with a horrified expression. It's two days after school officially started, and I have been dodging Light's attempts to corner me on campus.<p>

Kakushin stares at her friend with wide eyes, eyebrows raised.

"I mean exactly what it sounds like! They're down at the courts attacking each other with Tennis balls!" Makoto gesticulates wildly. "Come on, let's go!

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" I shout, jumping up.

What on earth are you trying to accomplish, L?

When we arrive both of them are in the heat of the moment. Ryuzaki isn't half bad either. The two of them are indeed attacking each other, because it's intense enough to be a war. I can practically see their minds working.

Seriously, you guys are trying to dissect each other through a freaking Tennis match? Now I've seen everything.

The match ends spectacularly, with great flourish. They've attracted a crowd. Cheers go up as Light is pronounced the winner of the match. I can't say that I didn't expect that. L spends a lot of time sitting in his chair, and don't even get me started on his eating and sleeping patterns.

That is the moment Kakushin decides to express a realization. I glance over at her, raising my eyebrows. She's staring right at Light, her mouth open in a grimace. It's like she knows him or something.

"I _knew _it!" she shouts suddenly, catching everyone's attention. She stalks up to the two players, who had just shook hands, looking enraged. Getting up close and personal in his space she shouts: "Light Yagami, I challenge you to a rematch!"

… Rematch? Was there something important that I missed there?

It seems my thoughts are reflected throughout the people around us, including L. On the other hand, Makoto looks like he's come to a similar conclusion, as though he just remembered something key.

"I remember now!" he says, palming his fist.

"Remember what?" I am thoroughly confused now.

"Kakushin used to play Tennis. She was nearly the junior champion, but lost to Light. She claims that it was a fluke, but it was never proven," Makoto explains to me with actions and everything.

I did not know that.

Embarrassed, I look over back at Light, L and Kakushin. Light just as perplexed as I am, but then he seems to remember too. I send an apologetic expression over to Ryuzaki before Makoto and I melt into the crowd.

"I accept," Light agrees, a determined grin spreading across his face.

Kakushin doesn't bother to change out; she just yanks the racket from Ryuzaki's hand and heads over to the other side of the court. Ryuzaki joins us, and Makoto summarizes the story.

"A rematch …" L says to himself with a tiny, amused smile on his face.

After a moment, "How'd you get that good?" I lean over and whisper.

"I was British junior champion at one point," he murmurs quietly in return.

"Really, that's fascinating," I say, but don't push the matter.

The match between Kakushin and Light quickly progresses into a fierce fight between the two of them. The ball is never on one side for more than one or two seconds, and is flying around at lightning-fast speeds. I gaze in awe. I never thought that she was this good at sports!

Maybe that's because I'm mostly oblivious when I want to.

"Come on Light, you've gotten soft!" Kakushin taunts him, which again fuels his drive to win. He's taking this seriously. To both of them, this is for their previous title. It's kind of funny actually.

"I can still hold my own though!" Light yells back at her, and makes a back-handed strike at her side of the court. Kakushin does a dive and narrowly catches it.

They take turns trying to best each other. It slowly goes on until Light is up by two points, and his next will be his victory.

He shoots …

Kakushin strikes, and lands a point. And then another. Light scores. Back to even. They haven't set a number of matches, whoever has three points above the other wins.

The table turns. Kakushin's next is her victory.

"What's wrong Light? You have to fight!" she shouts, and smacks the ball as hard as she can.

He dives …

And misses!

"Kakushin Lee wins!" The line judge announces.

Makoto and I burst out in congratulations and run up to her. In my glee, it's _my_ turn to tackle _her_. She just laughs and bats at me playfully. I can feel Light burning holes into my skin again.

He walks up to us. "That was a good match. You won fair and square," he says, and extends his hand. Kakushin takes it, ignoring the fact that he's Kira. I glare at him, a little, and make it not too obvious to anyone else that I am. His gaze flicks to me, but shoots back to Kakushin. He just smiles warmly.

"Come on, we should go," I cough, catching Makoto and Kakushin's attention.

"Yeah, great match Light," she says, gives a small wave and leaves with the two of us.

That was interesting.

And … fun.

It's been a good day, I decide.

* * *

><p>I'm in a good mood for the rest of the day, and when I get home I'm just beaming. When I drop off my bag in our room, Yae just smiles at me.<p>

"Good day?"

"Yeah," I smile.

Apparently joy is contagious. My Aunt and Uncle also seem to be in a better mood. Dinner is actually bearable for once. We even have some fun and have the kind of conversations that leave your stomach hurting from laughter.

My thoughts turn to Ryuzaki and Light. They must have finished their talk, and L must have already presented Light with the test he had me take right before the entrance exams. The corners of my mouth upturn slightly in an amused smirk when I think of the surprised expression that was probably on his face as he learned of the fourth note.

We got you!

So when my work phone starts beeping from my pocket, I expect good news. I'm in the middle of dinner, so I excuse myself and go into the hall.

"Yeah?"

_"… Something has happened,"_ Ryuzaki answers. I frown at his tone – it sounds like something bad happened.

"What is it?" I ask.

_"Mr. Yagami has had a heart attack."_

My fingers go numb and I drop the phone in shock. My mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air. My relatives pause and see my reaction. Their expression's sober as I pick up the phone and speak into it desperately.

"Is he alright?!" I cry. I don't even bother to be quiet. It doesn't matter if I'm overheard.

_"He survived. The doctors say he collapsed due to shock. You can come here if you would like."_

"Of course I would! Where are you?!" He quickly tells me, and I'm already slipping on my jacket.

"Kurai, where are you going?" My Uncle asks.

"Someone had a heart attack! No time to explain!" I shout back at them, and take off running. I take the fastest mode of transportation that I can think of, and am there within ten minutes.

My thoughts are whirling the entire time, but I am very grateful that Mr. Yagami is alive. I mean, what would happen if he did die?

And, the most frightening thought: what if Light had killed him?

By the time that I get there, I just want to make sure he's okay.

While we've been working the relations between all of us have loosened a bit. We've gotten to know each other. I think they've finally come to see me as part of the team. I've had some pretty interesting conversations with Mr. Yagami.

The stress of the knowledge that Light is a prime suspect must have gotten to him.

Oh, people are wonderful, but sometimes it hurts them beyond repair.

"N-Niiro, there you are," Matsuda greets me as I enter the lobby.

"Where is he?" I ask him.

Matsuda grimaces and the lines under his eyes tell me that he's worried too. He leads me to the room, where he stands in the doorway. I slowly enter the room, eyes widening in shock.

I can only manage a few, weak words. "Are you alright?"

He's lying down on the bed, and gives me a small, sad smile. His face is ghostly pale, and his hair shows signs of quick aging. Tubes are plugged into his arm, and the machine next to him is displaying his steady heartbeat. God, the sight makes me want to cry.

"I'm fine, thank you," he says, and gives another reassuring smile. My whole body relaxes in relief.

"Thank god it wasn't Kira," I say, and give a small chuckle. That's when I notice the other two occupants of the room.

"What's she doing here?" Light asks. He has a perfect 'what the fuck is going on' face, and it's hilarious, but I force myself not to laugh.

"Oh, hello Light," I say, and then nod to Ryuzaki. Matsuda leaves the room, muttering something about needing sleep, and I take a seat on the opposite side of Mr. Yagami's bed.

"This is the other person who I mentioned," Ryuzaki explains to Light, "she too knows of my identity as L."

"She's a detective?" Light blinks in surprise.

"It's more like … a hobby," I say with a small smile. I can tell that Light is beyond pissed. So I'm going to pretend that nothing is wrong.

"She has been a tremendous help with the case. Her deductive skills are some of the best I have ever seen," L says. I give a small chuckle.

"Now you're just blowing smoke up my ass."

I can see that Light realizes the full implications of this, and I give him a wry smile.

Kurai three, Light zero.

"So, Ryuzaki, now that you've had the chance to talk to my son, is he cleared as a suspect?" Mr. Yagami starts up a new conversation.

"When I say I suspect him you should know it's very minor." You're lying through your teeth! "We've gone over this but I'll explain it again. Not long ago, Kira killed twelve FBI agents that came to Japan to assist us. They were instructed to follow the people connected to the Japanese police. One of these police, Raye Penbar, exhibited unusual behavior before he died."

I want to bring up Naomi Misora, but I decide against it. That conversation wouldn't go anywhere. The only purpose I have for it is provoking Light.

"I understand, and I was one of the people Raye Penbar was investigating before he died. It only makes sense that I'd be a suspect. Nope, to be more precise, there's no one else you _could_ suspect," Light says. I want to roll my eyes; great job for stating the obvious.

"I find Light's deductive powers to be quite impressive. He's always quick and to the point," L notes.

"I'd like to help with the investigation. My father has erased any doubts I may have had regarding your identity. Also, I'd like nothing more than to catch Kira so that I can prove once and for all that I'm not him."

I have to admit, he's good at this whole 'fake identity' thing. He must have had loads of practice. Unfortunately it's not very convincing to someone like me. I know that he's Kira, but when I step back from that it's still a little bit off.

Mr. Yagami turns to look at his son, "Light, this is the time of your life where you should be studying to become a police officer. It won't be too late to join us when you are done."

"Come on dad, what are you talking about? Who knows how many years that'll take? Besides, don't you remember my promise? That if something ever happened to you, I would find Kira and make sure he gets executed."

Oh, he didn't use _that_ did he?

Still, Light is lucky. He has both his parents. I lost both of mine. Even though I have a simmering rage for the crimes my father committed, I still miss him. I even miss the talks he had to give me advice, just like what Mr. Yagami was doing.

He is a good father.

L looks rather pensive. His gaze seems to slowly go around to room, to me, to Light, to Mr. Yagami. I wonder what he was thinking about.

"Light, listen to me. Kira is pure evil, we can all agree on that, but recently I've started thinking about this whole situation in a different way. What is truly evil is the power to kill people. And any person who possesses this power is cursed. No matter how you use it. No true happiness can be obtained like that. Not by killing other people."

"I couldn't agree with you more," I say, looking down at the floor, "It's a horrible thing." I see L nod.

"If Kira really was just a normal person, who somehow obtained this awful power, I would say that he's cursed."

Cursed …

I have that power.

"Excuse me, visiting hours ended ten minutes ago," a mousy nurse interrupts us.

Light, Ryuzaki and I leave quickly. We exit the building to find that L's limousine is parked outside. I want to roll my eyes, but instead I opt for just ignoring the fact that he's showing off.

"Ryuzaki, what would it take for you to believe that I'm not Kira? Please, isn't there something?"

"You could stop digging your own grave," I say off-handed, earning a frown from Light.

"If you aren't Kira, that won't be necessary. Let things run their course and let the truth be revealed," Ryuzaki clarifies.

"I can't take this anymore! Put yourself in my position, how do you think it feels to be accused of being Kira?"

"Let me tell you something," I interrupt and both of them look over at me, "If you can't stand one day of suspicion, then wait a while. I have a feeling that it's going to get worse … If you are innocent then I will apologize. In the meantime, my money's on you."

They are silent for a moment before …

"But I'm not Kira!" Light exclaims. I look him in the eye with a grin.

"I don't see it," I shrug, and I can tell that Light knew what I had really meant: '_I can't see your lifespan, therefore you own a Death Note. You don't fool me.'_

"Be patient. It will become clear to us whether you are Kira or not," L says as Watari opens the door for him. "Coming?" he asks me.

"Uh, sure," I blink, and get in. L enters after me, Watari closing the door behind us. He slides down the window to talk to Raito.

"Listening to that conversation between you and your father, I was almost convinced that you might not be him. Light, please take good care of Mr. Yagami," L says solemnly, making me smile.

"Oh, and one more thing, I know I agreed to help with the investigation, but I don't think I'll be able to do much until my father is healthy again," Light informs us.

"Yes, of course," L agrees, and then rolls up the window. The car starts with a rattle.

We rode in silence for a few minutes before:

"What do you think?" L looks over at me. He seems to be trying to gauge my answer.

"I don't believe Light for a moment," I say quietly, and then mutter 'cursed' under my breath. I'm not sure if Ryuzaki heard me or not, but if he did he hid it well.


	15. Second

**Chapter Fifteen - **_Second_

_Ready for manipulation,  
><em>_Innocent like a lamb.  
><em>_Pretty face,  
><em>_Naive personality.  
><em>_Complete devotion,  
><em>_Imagined obligation.  
><em>_Second to the original.  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Regarding Naomi Misora's disappearance, shouldn't we open an investigation into this matter?" Ukita asks.<p>

This moment had been long awaited. I am positive that Naomi was murdered by Kira. There is no doubt in my mind. We had been looking over a list of possible victims, unconfirmed but suspected, and had come across this matter. The members of the task force remembered that name pop up months ago when the FBI agents had been killed. I, however, had not been present. I heard of her when I spoke to Ryuzaki with K and D. That in turn had instigated the surveillance of the Yagami household.

I'm sure that if I were somehow able to find her body or some evidence that she had been killed by Kira – which would mean that she would have to come into contact with him – we would be one step closer to catching the bastard.

"If we do, it should be coordinated separately from the Kira Case. Also, we'll have to use police sketches instead of actual photos," L replies steadily. He's working on autopilot, as his eyes are glazed over. He must be deep inside his own head.

"We're talking about someone who's been missing for four months already. Chances are she's already dead," Aizawa answers morbidly. I sit next to the man with the 'fro, while Matsuda and Ukita sit across from us and L sits in his own chair. Mr. Yagami is still in recovery while Mogi could not attend the meeting. The light of day is just fading; I believe it's nearly 6:00 PM.

"If you're right about that, I find it odd that we haven't found her body yet," L says, attention returning to the present.

"If she was killed, the body would be in a place where almost no one could find it – somewhere secluded and secret. Kira can control his victims before death, why not have her go somewhere and kill herself?" I say, aware that I probably interrupted him.

"Yes, but if we managed to find the body, it would provide some much needed evidence," L says, translation: _If we found the body, Kira would be as good as captured._

I tell him what I want to do now, "I would like to work on the 'mini-case', as Kaen would put it." Silence spreads through the room, and I can practically _see_ the gears turning in L's mind.

"That can be arranged. You are not under my command … Yes, I think you would be able to accomplish it," L nods to me, and I can feel a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

This is when Watari finds it convenient to enter the room, "Ryuzaki, something seems to be happening on Sakura TV."

Our shock only lasts a moment.

It doesn't take long before the TV has been switched on, the blinds drawn to make the room dark and we're all huddled around L's armchair to watch whatever the hell is going on.

_"-In other words, all of the reporter's and staff here are Kira's hostages. Aside from that, we have a professional obligation to share this message with you. I assure you that this is not a hoax and that Sakura TV is not airing this tape for the purposes of sensationalism.-"_

There are murmurs of unease from Matsuda, Ukita and Aizawa. They don't seem too pleased with the newscasters. I don't blame them – Sakura TV doesn't exactly have the best reputation.

_"-Four days ago our program director here at Sakura TV received four tapes. After thorough examination, there can be no doubt that they are from Kira himself.-"_

What does Light want to accomplish with this anyway? Is this his next move?

_"-The first tape we received contained a prediction, regarding the time of death of two suspected criminals who'd recently been arrested. And as predicted, at the exact time that Kira had specified, both men died suddenly of heart attacks yesterday.-"_

I look to my right, and sure enough L's frowning ever so slightly at the television screen. His eyes have narrowed, his brow scrunched up a little bit. He's practically gnawing on his thumb now.

_"-Kira has instructed us to air the second tape at exactly 5:59 PM. And we do intend to comply with his demands. This tape should offer proof of his powers by predicting yet another death. Beyond that, we understand that it contains a message to all the people of the world from Kira."_

Surprise from the other people in the room, and I pull of an almighty scowl that could scare the Shinigami behind me. The time on the side of the screen turns 5:59 PM. _"And now the video."_

The screen changes to white, with the word KIRA spelled out in gothic text. There's a short coughing noise in the background before the voice speaks in an unnaturally low synthetic tone.

_"I am Kira. If this video is being aired on April 18th at exactly 5:59 PM, as I requested, then the time is now 5:59, 46, 47, 48, 49 … please change the channel or dial your TV. The news anchor _[something incomprehensible] _will die of a heart attack at exactly 6 o'clock."_

"_What?_"

Everyone gasps in surprise, grim expressions replacing curious ones.

My heart stops in my chest for a moment.

Dear lord, this isn't Kira.

"Change it," L demands, and Watari quickly switches the channel to an unnervingly pink set with a picture of a puppy in the corner. The only thing out of place is the man in a suit with his head rolled back, obviously deceased. His name and lifespan have disappeared entirely. People rush forward and there is lots of yelling.

"No way," Matsuda breathes.

"How could he!" Ukita exclaims.

"Change the channel back," L says, "And I need you to bring us another TV Watari. No, make it two." Watari obliges.

I can see a look in L's eyes that says _'I really don't like this, and if this turns out the wrong way I'm going to be pissed'_. I feel the same way.

Another killing, and L's tone becomes sad.

_"Now that you have seen proof of my powers, you should have no trouble believing that I am Kira."_

"Stop this broadcast!" L shouts suddenly, and I full-heartedly agree with him. "We can't let him finish!"

Matsuda runs for the phone, "Get Sakura TV on the line!" Aizawa takes out his phone and punches through his contacts.

"It's no good. I'm trying, but none of my contacts at the station have their phones on," he growls.

"And no one's picking up at reception either!" Matsuda adds.

Ukita makes a run for the door. "Dammit! I'll stop this broadcast myself if that's what it takes."

"Ukita, I don't think it-" Slam. "-will be that simple …" I curse under my breath and turn back to the TV.

_"People of the world, please listen to me. The last thing I want to do is kill the innocent. I hate evil, and love justice. I've always thought of the police as allies, not as enemies."_

L looks ready to bust a vein or something. He's biting his thumb like there's no tomorrow. I myself am nearly in a state of hyperventilation. The sheer magnitude of the situation slams into me.

_This is not Kira._

This person has a Death Note.

_"I intend to create a new world. A world that is free from evil. If you agree to join me in my mission, I know that we can make it happen. And as long as no one tries to capture me, I promise that the innocent will not die. Even if you do not believe me, all I ask is that you not publicize your views in the media. If you can do that, you will be spared. All you have to do now-" _I tune out the rest of this self-imposing, self-righteous, narcissistic bullshit of a speech before I explode. Rage bubbles up and I find myself trembling.

_Tong!_

"Aizawa, look!" Matsuda yells, breaking me out of my stupor. I look at one of the smaller screens (supplied by Watari, of course), and to my utmost horror-

There is a lifeless body slumped right in front of the Sakura TV building.

It's Ukita.

Fuck this.

"Ukita … Dammit, Kira did this," Aizawa growls in shock, and heads for the door. I turn to follow, but a hand clamps down on my wrist and prevents me from moving any closer to the exit.

"Mr. Aizawa! … Where are you going?" L says, more like a statement than a question. His grip is like iron on my wrist, and I can't pry it off. I _need_ to get down there! You don't realize what this means, _L!_

"Where do you _think?!_"Aizawa hisses, pausing just before the door. "I've got to go there!"

"You can't. Please think about this rationally."

"Rationally!? A man's just been killed!" I shout.

"If this really is the work of Kira, you will meet the same fate if you go there."

Don't you understand? This isn't Kira, but he wants to be like him.

This person is _far more dangerous._

More importantly, they have_ Shinigami eyes._

Aizawa rounds on L, "You told us that Kira couldn't kill without a name. So _how _could this happen!"

"The aliases and fake ID's were worthless. What are we going to do L?" Matsuda asks desperately, dropping all subtly. "You don't think Kira already has all our names, do you?"

"That's a definite possibility," L says back. "However, if that's the case you would think it would be easier to kill off the entire task force before making a move. Initially I deduced that Kira needed both a name and a face to kill, but from what we've just seen, I'd say that it's not entirely impossible that Kira can kill with only a face."

This is a notebook owner that sympathizes with Kira, and has the _fucking Shinigami eyes! _They could kill us all! I pale drastically and redouble my efforts to get out of the detective's grip. Damn, he's strong!

"All I know for sure is that Kira is either in that TV station or he's somewhere close by in a place where he can watch anyone who enters the building."

"All the more reason to go down there!" I shout. Just let me do _something! _Anything!

"For all we know, he could have placed surveillance cameras in the area. If we rush down there unprepared, all of us will be killed."

Prepared?

I hope that you're making the right decision, _L_.

Aizawa stalks up to him and grabs the skinny detective by the shoulder. This throws off his grip on me, and I rub my now sore wrist and glare at him. "Wasn't it _you_ who said we'd have to risk our lives to catch Kira!?"

"I meant what I said, but, risking my life to catch Kira and doing something I _know_ will cost me my life are two entirely different things," L murmurs, voice filled with something … more. It's hopelessness.

"Oh yeah?"

Only now I notice that L is clutching his legs tightly to hide the fact that he's also shaking in suppressed rage. "Please control yourself. We've lost Ukita. I understand that you want to go there, but if something were to happen to you as well …" L leaves the sentence unfinished, and the rest of us stare at him. Both Aizawa and I calm down, and let out a breath that we didn't know we were holding.

_"I now await the response from the police. They must decide whether or not they'll help me create a better world for all of us. Please announce your decision on the 6 o'clock news in four days. I've prepared two videos, one to be aired if the answer is yes, and another if the answer is no."_

The fake Kira finishes their speech.

"As much as I hate to admit this, you're right," I sigh, still rubbing my wrist.

Just as I thought our night couldn't get any more exciting …

_"A vehicle has just driven through the front doors of the station," _the TV from in front of the Sakura TV building blurts after a loud crash.

"Well, that's one way to get into the building without being seen by Kira …"

"But who would?" The question goes unanswered.

_"We're still outside Sakura TV and as you can see a police car has just arrived." _And sure enough, there is.

"So we're not alone … there are still other officers out there that are willing to stand up to Kira," Matsuda whispers.

"Mr. Aizawa," L says, drawing attention from him, "You know Deputy Director Kitamura's cell phone number right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Call him, and give the phone to me," Aizawa takes out his phone and quickly dials it, then hands the phone to L.

I can faintly hear Kitamura speak though the silence, _"Aizawa, I told you not to call me on this phone,"_ he grumbles.

"This is L," Le gasp, "There's something I need you to do for me. There may be police officers that may see this broadcast and feel moved to take action in the name of justice. If we don't take control of the situation quickly there will be a disaster."

_ "But- technically, we're not supposed to be involved in this case."_

_ Shut up and do as he says!_

We watch as the two officers that came from the police car collapse on the road.

_"I understand, L. I see your point now. Tell me what I should do."_

And he did, in great detail actually. Behind us, Watari's phone rings, and he opens it up. "Detective Superintendent Yagami."

"Call him back immediately and give me the phone," L orders and holds out his hand. Watari hands him the phone.

_"I need to speak to Ryuzaki," _I hear Mr. Yagami's voice through the speaker.

"Yes, it's me. So, you're the one driving the police van."

_"That's right. I couldn't just sit and watch. I've confiscated all of the tapes. I'm bringing them to you."_

"But what about your condition, are you alright?"

_"I'm feeling just fine. To be honest with you, I don't think I've ever felt more alive."_

I understand this feeling. In the face of danger, you realize what a gift life is. At this moment we've all blazed into life. Emotion and drive pushes us towards an inevitable, yet unknown destination.

I've found new respect for my colleagues.

_"So what do you think I should do now?" _Mr. Yagami asks, _"I'd say going out the front would be too dangerous, but I can always use the police van again."_

"Please hold the line for a second," L says, then lowers that phone and raises the other phone to his other ear. The sight would be quite amusing if the situation wasn't so dire. "Deputy Director Kitamura, it was Chief Yagami who just drove into the building. Are your preparations complete?

_"It's done, as you requested."_

L switches phones, "Mr. Yagami, listen carefully. In exactly five minutes I want you to come out the front entrance."

_"You want me to exit through the _front entrance?!_"  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"There you have it; the police refuse to cooperate with Kira. Instead they are preparing to fight. And, as much as I fear for my own life in saying so, <em>this is right. And it must be done! _Kira has become a threat to our very constitution. And as citizens, _we must fight back!" 

* * *

><p>This was another failure, I think. I hadn't even considered this possibility. The chances were so slim that it wasn't worth the attention. I mean, Vile's been here a while, from what he's said, and Kuru came to earth to watch my Shinigami when the bear found out about the recent Kira killings (or so he mentioned).<p>

I couldn't do a damn thing. This is just like last time. I makes me angry, and irrational, and I really have to stop this. I admire L's self-control.

The door clicks closed, and in comes a very tired looking Mr. Yagami being supported by Watari.

"Mr. Yagami!" Matsuda exclaims.

"Welcome back chief," Aizawa greets.

"Ryuzaki, I apologize for taking matters into my own hands. I have to admit I got a little bit carried away."

A _little bit?!_

The four of us head over to greet him, L and I the last two because we were all the way across the room.

"Here, these are all the tapes and an envelope. All the things Kira sent to the station are in here," Mr. Yagami holds up a paper bag (like the kinds you drag around your shopping crap in) and presents it to L.

"I can't thank you enough," Ryuzaki takes the bag from him.

"Ugh … Think I better rest for a minute," Mr. Yagami grumbles, and is lead over to a vacant chair.

L takes out one of the tapes from the bag and examines it before handing it to me, followed by the other three. He then examines the postmark on the envelope. It's probably useless though. This new Kira probably sent it from a random location. Although it_ could_ have DNA somewhere on it.

"Mr. Aizawa, can you please take this to the Crime Lab right away," Ryuzaki says, handing him the bag with the envelope in it.

"I still have a couple of friends down there. I'll make sure they go over every inch of this."

"That's good, please do so. While you're doing that Niiro and I will watch these tapes to see if they can reveal anything."

"No sleep for me tonight," I mumble under my breath.

_Great._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This is pretty much a repeat of the episode, _just_ like last time, but I cleaned it up a bit again.

I'm pretty sure that Sakura TV is like Death Note's version of a Japanese Fox News. I don't watch them, but my social class likes to bash them. XD

I've been writing the finale. Oh, I love it to pieces. _So_ much better this time.

- DW


	16. Countdown

**A/N: **I actually really like this chapter! I get to mess around with the plot. You know that scene where L freaks out at the mention of Shinigami? I thought that was a little lame and even out of character. I mean, really? So I changed it, and gave myself a plot device for later!

- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen - <strong>_Countdown  
><em>

_Tick, Tock.  
><em>_The strike of a bell.  
><em>_Time slips away,  
><em>_Like sand through your fingers.  
><em>_Never enough, or too much.  
><em>_Time waits for no-one,  
><em>_Yet we wait for time._

* * *

><p>I frown. L and I just finished watching (more like listening) to the second tape, and I am <em>not<em> impressed.

L is busy processing the victims of this Kira on his laptop, "Hmm … this is quite odd."

"What is it?" I ask, and lean over to get a look at the screen.

"The two criminals that died yesterday are only minor criminals. They were only mentioned in tabloids and day-time talk shows."

"From what we know so far, Kira has only used small-time criminals like those to manipulate them. Yet in this situation, he simply ignores all subtly. Why would he use them instead of criminals whose death would be known by everyone?"

"And then there was the matter of the innocents that died … Kira has only killed innocent people that were after him. This isn't like him at all. In fact it's like-"

"-a second Kira," I finish for him. I've already come to that conclusion, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Yes, in fact now that it's mentioned the probability is roughly over 70% …" he calculates immediately.

The conversation to a normal person would seem hopelessly incomplete. The two of us, however, know the reasoning behind these things immediately, without it having to be explained.

You see, if there was in fact a _second_ Kira, this could be proved many ways. Firstly, they used minor criminals. Just as I had asked: why would he use them? L and I answered these questions in our heads. The Second Kira would need to be able to prove their powers, but couldn't risk having the original Kira kill their victims before the set time. The TV hosts would simply brush the matter aside.

The innocents probably weren't so innocent in the eyes of the Second Kira. These people probably said something about Kira that they didn't like. To further back this point up, the Second Kira mentioned something about not making your opinions public in the second video. It's a case of hero/god worship.

So was the point of this? If this was in fact a Second Kira (I really doubt that Light would do anything of the sort) then what was he trying to accomplish? Surely this would be noticed by the original Kira, and then all hell would break lose. This person also has the eyes though, making them incredibly dangerous. Kira would want someone like that underneath his control, not running amok.

The Second Kira wanted to be noticed by the first.

We watch the third and fourth tapes, which are frighteningly similar. The Second Kira demands that L appears on TV (the _real_ L this time). If the answer's yes, they would use his life like an assurance so that the police would not step a toe out of line and obediently follow Kira's orders. No, on the other hand, demands that L appear on TV to be killed as punishment for defying Kira.

The answer they were going to reply was obviously, without a shadow of a doubt, NO. Capital N, O.

So what would happen to L?

"Ryuzaki, what if the UN demands that you appear on television?" I ask quietly. He thinks for a moment.

"The answer should be obvious, if this situation was to arise."

"Oh?" I ask, taking a sip of the coffee that had been keeping me awake all night.

He turns to look at me pointedly, "You would succeed me as L." I sputter and end up spitting out the coffee in my mouth back into the cup, and even then some of it dribbles down my chin. I hastily wipe it away before turning to him with a horrified expression.

"_Me?!_"

"Yes."

"But, _why?!_"

"I thought that too would be obvious." He has that 'really, are you serious?' expression plastered on his face.

"I'm practically a kid though!" I protest. I do _not_ like this idea. L is world renowned. He has so much pressure on him that his very lifestyle is molded to his job. Even if this has its own privileges, I just don't want it. I want to return to a normal life (as normal as it possibly can) after the Kira case. That is to say if I don't _die _first.

"You can refuse, and if that is the case there are two people that could take my position," he pauses, "Unfortunately, it could be years before they are ready." There isn't much choice in this, is there?

"Fine … but if you die I will only take over the Kira case, then those people can have the title by all means."

Does he really think that I would be able to pull something like that off? A comment like _that_ from someone like _him_ … If L were to die, I could become the world's next greatest detective. Hell, if he didn't die I could still become a world famous detective.

I don't want that life though. I don't want to be the best. I want to stay out of the spotlight.

Things aren't looking so good.

* * *

><p>April 22, and the Second Kira's refusal video goes public.<p>

Later the very same day, heads of state demand that L appear on television.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Yagami, I'd like your permission to ask your son to cooperate with us on this investigation."<p>

The task force exchange confused glances.

Here we are, April 23. Ryuzaki and I have just finished explaining our theory on the Second Kira (obligatory super-long explanation included) and while they are mulling it over we spring them with something new.

We want Light on the team.

I wish to keep an eye on him. Light, being Kira, will probably be very happy to know that he's on the team. He will have access to classified information and will get the chance to find the Second Kira before we do.

L suggested to me that we show him the tapes and wait for his response before telling him about our own theory. If Light's deductive skills are up to par with L and I, then he should have no problem telling if this is a Second Kira, regardless of being Kira or not.

If he is Kira (which we all know is true, even if the other members of the taskforce deny it) and he pretends that this is the same Kira as every other killing, he would suspect that L would appear on TV and be killed shortly later. This wouldn't do much besides up our suspicions.

If he realizes that it's a test, and tells us that he thought there was a Second Kira, the suspicion would remain the same. Nothing would change.

Ryuzaki said that there is a 5% chance that Light was Kira. He's lying though his teeth. He has that look in his eyes when you know he's just blowing sunshine up their asses so that they won't freak out. In private conversations, L confided in me that he highly suspected Light, and the 5% came from the amount of evidence we had (all circumstantial).

So basically we have no evidence, only suspicions.

L quickly explains the plans to the Task Force. Mr. Yagami agrees to let us ask Light if he wants to join us, albeit grudgingly, but doesn't make any comments.

* * *

><p>Here we go.<p>

Mr. Yagami just called his son, who should be on his way here.

Over the past few days I've spent the entire time in this hotel room, except for the two minuets where I went home to grab a change of clothes (I expect to be here for a while). I've been bunking in the main suite, because L doesn't sleep often, and when he does it's in chair.

My Aunt and Uncle were _furious_ when I just up and left. I don't tell them anything. When I exclaimed that someone had had a heart attack, they had badgered me until I told them that the father of a friend of mine had collapsed due to stress. Light is no friend of mine, but I could put up with a charade like that.

So as soon as I had been gone for more than 24 hours, they called repeatedly until I snapped and answered. This had been followed up by a yelling match and me hanging up with an 'I'm very busy and it's none of your business!' I understand that they're concerned and all, but I have more important things to worry about.

K and D also hammered me for questions, which I spent a few hours explaining everything to them and my hypothesis on the subject. They seemed to agree that they should stay clear of headquarters for a while. I will send them updates.

Now Light is coming to take his test.

He enters the room, glancing about at the people assembled. His gaze lingers on me longer than the others, but his attention focuses directly on Ryuzaki.

"Thank you Light," L says, holding out his hand for the younger boy to shake it.

"Not at all, after all, I want to catch Kira as much as you do," Light says, returning the favor.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you've met, but this is Matsuda, Aizawa and Niiro," L introduces us, motioning to me last where I am leaning against the fall. I give a short wave and return my arm to its place crossed over my chest.

"Niiro?" Light raises an eyebrow at me.

"An alias," I say shortly, "I am also referred to as Red."

"I see," he says, still looking a little confused.

"Okay, let's get down to work. You can start by overlooking all the information we've collected. I'd also like you to look at these videos. They were sent to the TV station but were never aired," L leads the brunette to a chair in front of the TV they had set up. "For security reasons you're not permitted to take notes and all materials must remain here."

"I understand."

"You may begin now." For some reason, it reminds me of the entrance exams. It certainly had that whole 'this is a huge test' feel.

Light goes through the video without freaking or doing anything remotely Kira-like. Damn, I was kind of hoping for him to jump up and say 'I do not accept this!' When he finishes going over the material, L approaches him with his head turned to the side, finger in mouth and other hand in pocket.

"So, what do you make of this Light? Have you come to any conclusions?" L asks, watching Light like a bird of prey.

Even from here I can see Light's eyes narrowing slightly as he stands. He's realized that this is a test. Well fuck-a-doodle-do.

"It's hard to say for sure, but there might be another person out there with Kira's power," he begins.

"With Kira's power?!" Mr. Yagami exclaims. _Ding, Ding! _Give the man a prize … "But what do you mean by that Light?"

Light motions at the screen, "At the very least I'd say that this was not created by the Kira we're familiar with. It's extremely out of character for him to use these kinds of victims for his killings, and since we've established that he needs a name and face to kill, it makes you wonder how he was able to kill that detective and those two officers right outside the television station like that."

"It's the same."

"That's exactly the same way they put it."

The three other detectives in the room share the same awe and wonder.

"I think you're exactly right about that. We also believe that this is the work of a Second Kira," Ryuzaki reveals.

"So you knew about this all along Ryuzaki?" Light looks rather annoyed and crosses his arms over his chest. "Which means this was just another one of your tests?"

"It was not my intention to test you. The truth is, if Niiro and I were the only ones who came to that conclusion it wouldn't be too convincing. But the fact that you also came to the same conclusion makes the theory that much more believable. As expected, you did not disappoint us. You've been a great help."

"Great! Let's get this party started," I say, getting off the wall and clapping my hands together. "My turn to tell the plan," I grin at Ryuzaki, who doesn't look too impressed but otherwise doesn't make any arguments.

"Our first and foremost objective is stopping the Second Kira. All evidence points to him sympathizing with Kira, to the point of actually trying to impersonate him – this Kira quite obviously lacks his sophistication though. He may even be willing to obey the original.

'Using this, we can snag the Second Kira into a trap by making them believe that _we_ are Kira. We do this by sending a reply to them," I say proudly. Finally, I get to explain something and not just let Ryuzaki do it and be left looking like a dolt.

Light chuckles and scratched the back of his head, "You took the words right from my mouth …"

"Oh, and guess who's playing the part of Kira?" I say with a devious smirk.

"Who?"

"You!"

"Me, as Kira?" Light says disbelievingly. Bah, he's acting. He's a liar just like Ryuzaki and I.

"You're the only one I can think of that could pull this off Light. Do you think you could script a message in time for it to be aired on this evening's national news?" Ryuzaki asks.

If looks could kill.

* * *

><p>"Does this look okay? I think I made it sound believable," Light says, relaxing in one of the armchairs. I'm lying on my back upside down in another chair, playing a game of Tetris on my phone.<p>

"Damn strait block …" I mumble as Ryuzaki takes the page from Light and reads it.

"Mhmm … I think you've done an excellent job with this. However if we don't omit the part that says 'you're free to kill L', then I'm going to end up dead," Ryuzaki says with a trace of humor in his voice. Light laughs and I give a small smile. I look up (down?) at them and hold out my hand for the page. L hands it to me.

"Sorry, I guess I got carried away while playing the part. I figured if I was him I would demand that you'd be killed," Light leans back in his chair. "I was improvising. Feel free to change it to whatever you like." You _would_ get carried away, wouldn't you Light? Reading the script increases my dislike for him, but it is good quality and would most likely fool the Second Kira.

"Sounds good."

"Alright Aizawa, I'll leave the script to you," L says and I hand the script to the detective before I refocus on my Tetris game. 

* * *

><p>Finally, the reply has arrived.<p>

"I'll be bringing over the envelope and tape that we received, but in the meantime I'll be streaming a copy of the video so that you can view it on your end," Watari's voice tells us and we all gather around the laptop. The screen that the Second Kira used last time appears.

_"Kira, thank you for your reply, please do not worry, I will follow orders and do as you say," _the synthetic voice states proudly.

"Whoa," Matsuda says with wide eyes.

"It worked," Mr. Yagami breathes.

I'm standing right beside Light, and I can tell something's irking him. I smile faintly. Sickening, isn't it Light? This Kira is a fool and you don't like that.

_"I really want to meet you. I don't think you have the eyes."_

Well shit.

Both Light and I tense up. _I_ have the eyes, and it's pretty obvious that Light doesn't. It seems that it's been proven that the Second Kira also has the Shinigami eyes. Light gives a small, muffled gasp that he passes off for confusion.

_"But you don't have to worry; I would never try to kill you. That's a promise." _Light glances around him: at his father, then at me, then at the others in the room. I can see the familiar starting of panic in his eyes.

"What's this 'having the eyes' deal, is it some sort of code?" Aizawa wonders out loud.

From my spot, I can also see that L has tensed up too. He seems almost … out of it, which is rather concerning. Normally he oozes an air of confidence.

_"Please tell me how I can meet you without the police knowing. You'll think of something. And when we meet, we can confirm our identities by showing our Shinigami to each other."_

Everybody goes silent. Even I am clenching my fists and my face has gone pale. That idiot!

"Shinigami?!" Matsuda and Aizawa blurt at the same time.

Ryuzaki quickly stands up and leaves the room. I stare after him, and then immediately follow. His posture gives off the fact that he's troubled.

"Hey, where are you goin-" I disappear before I notice who asked the question.

I find L pacing in the next room. He has one arm hugging himself and the other up to his face. He doesn't even notice me enter the room. Incoherent nonsense rolls off his tongue as he shuffles back and forth across the room. I half expect him to walk into the wall at this rate.

"Ryuzaki?" I ask. He comes out of his stupor, takes his hand from his face and looks at me.

"…"

"Are you alright? You just kind of … left."

"_Shinigami_, Niiro, _Shinigami_," he says, on the brink of hyperventilation. I fight the urge to smack him on the side of the head. Actually, no, I give in to the urge and stalk up to him to give him a nice good cuff.

"Snap out of it!" I command, "Stop working yourself up over nothing. This could be some sort of code for all we know," I lie. It's actually a huge deal, but he doesn't need to know that yet.

I've got to keep him ignorant. It's what keeps him and the Task Force safe.

"The notes referred to the Shinigami," he says stubbornly, rubbing the side of his head and glaring at me.

"Like I said, it could be some sort of code. Pull yourself together man, before you fall apart!" I shout, and then poke him in the chest, hard.

"Ow … you're right," he lets out a breath.

"Now, do Shinigami exist?" I ask.

"… No."

"Good," I smile, and then pat him on the shoulder. His breathing returns to normal and he pinches the bridge of his nose.

I lead him back into the room, and everyone is just buzzing with questions and speculations. Ryuzaki settles himself down in that chair of his and goes off into a brainstorming session which leaves the rest of us feeling better. Things are looking good for us.

Because no matter what we do (or don't do), this will turn out better on our end.

At least we hope.


	17. Calm Before the Storm

**A/N: **Oh~, one of my faves. =.= I loved writing this one, and I didn't change much of it.****

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen - <strong>_Calm Before the Storm_

_Grey clouds span the horizon,  
><em>_Heavy waves lap at the shore,  
><em>_Stiff breeze ruffles the grass,  
><em>_Animals bunker down below._

* * *

><p>With the new lead I remain with Ryuzaki (hotel-jumping every few days). I attend school again (Watari insisted), but remain fidgety the whole while. I don't like this. The Second Kira … I am starting to loath them as well. Their total disregard for life in general disgusts me. I mean, at least Light doesn't kill innocent civilians. He's still a twisted son of a bitch, but I can admit that I'm starting to hate the Second Kira just a little more.<p>

K and D pop in every day or two to help with things if they can, but L and I do most of the work, along with the Task Force. I can see that Light is itching to talk to me during the meetings, but he can't without looking suspicious.

My adopted family remains distant, and I saw Yae once while on campus. 

* * *

><p><em>"How are you, Kurai?" Yae asked, coming up behind her. Kurai blinked in confusion and looked over at her cousin.<em>

_ "Alright?" It sounded like more of a question._

_ "You haven't come home."_

_ "I … I'm in the middle of something important. I can't leave. The only reason I'm at school right now is because they insisted."_

_ "_They?_"_

_ "It doesn't matter," she grumbled._

_ "Ah … well, Mom and Dad are _furious_ with you. They might kick you out, now that you're eighteen and all."_

_ "Kick me out?"_

_ "Yeah, it's rather rough at home for the moment. I actually suggest staying clear for a while."_

* * *

><p><em>Great<em>, so they might kick me out. Couldn't get any better. Lucky for me, as long as I'm working on the case L said that he would give me a place to stay. This was when I accidentally mentioned it when he asked why I looked upset.

Today though, I have a purpose. I have something I need to do.

There's a long overdue chat with Light waiting.

I quietly stalk him through the day. He acts normally, but he's working on autopilot. I wait until after school before I casually stroll up to him.

"Hello, Light!" I say cheerfully, getting a questioning glance from him.

"Uh, hi Kurai," he says awkwardly. We get curious stares, but are otherwise ignored.

"Can I talk to you?" I ask him.

"Um, sure, want to go get some coffee?" he says, smiling in that fake way of his.

He quickly brings me to a coffee shop with an out of the way corner.

"Nobody will be able to overhear us here," he says, still smiling. I nod, that was a good idea.

"There's been something you want to ask me, hasn't there?" I ask him innocently. He nods.

"I … apologize, for acting the way I did back in January," I stiffen, and look away to the side. "Can you forgive me?"

We're still pretending.

"That depends."

"Also, was it you?" he asks. Of _course_ he would want to know if I was the Second Kira. Although, he would probably expect that it isn't me, but is just double checking.

"No, it wasn't. Let's stop pretending Light. You and I both know what the Second Kira meant. That wasn't any code," I growl.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Translation: _Yes, I know._

I fold my arms over my chest and scowl. "The Second Kira is a threat," I state.

"Yes, that much is obvious, but all we can do is wait," he replies, then seems to get an idea in his evil little mind. "Kurai?"

"… Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Depends," I say, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"I … uh … how am going to say this," he laughs lightly and scratches the back of his neck.

"Get on with it."

"Well, ever since I first saw you, I knew that you were different. You're not like other women. You're smart, to the point and don't bother with all the unnecessary squawking. You're the most intelligent woman I've ever met."

What is he trying to accomplish with this? What on earth is he doing? He knows very well that I'm not stupid enough to fall for that, but why is he saying these things?

Is it an alibi?

I am dumbfounded, and I can't see how this would affect anything. It has many advantages for me too, after all. It's like dancing with the devil, to use a metaphor.

Okay, I'll play along.

"Oh?"

"Yes and … you are actually very pretty," I fight the urge to roll my eyes but smile slightly, but let my eyes say that if he steps one toe out of place, he's dead.

"What are you getting at?"

"Would you like to go out on a date?

* * *

><p>I don't like this, especially when it sounds like something from a bad fan-fiction. You know the ones; they make characters fall for each other just as a way to resolve the plot in a manner they like. Usually it ends up with one or more characters drastically changing their ideals andor personalities. Bah, I'm not that stupid. I have no reason to love or even have mild affection for this jackass. My ideals aren't going to change just because he said a few nice things to me. I don't believe in that 'love is the greatest power in the world' bullshit. What did love do for me? It ripped my family apart. Well, love and a supernatural notebook.

I agree to Light, but make it so that he knows that I suspect him of something. I can't rush into this. I can tell that he uses extreme caution around me, just like he does with Ryuzaki. He knows that I am a credible opponent. So he is using my gender as an angle to approach me without looking suspicious.

In our school, word quickly spreads about us. I only tell K and D the truth of the matter. I'll explain part of my plan to Ryuzaki when he finds out, but he's too preoccupied at the moment. Rumors start flying; I neither confirm nor deny accusations and return their statements with wry smiles. I pointedly tell Light at one point that I am not going to fall into that pathetic category that other woman fall into. Basically, they all think that I've started to date Light. The thought makes my skin crawl.

We go on four dates before the next big event come up.

* * *

><p>"Another message?" I blink as Watari presents us with a tape and a piece of paper with words written on it. We're chilling out in the suite, because before now there was nothing really to do but wait. Some Anime I had been half watching still blares from the small TV in the corner of the level. L looks up from the stack of sugar cubes he had been making and holds out his hand for the piece of paper. Watari hands it to him before addressing me.<p>

"Yes, although this one is a journal in addition to the tape."

"Interesting," I grunt, grabbing the remote and flicking off the TV. I stand up and stretch, toes wiggling in the black carpet. I've made it a sort of game to guess the color of the floor and walls with Ryuzaki, whoever won (or got closest) would get first dibs on chairs. I think he actually made a point not to learn of the colors before we arrived just so that he wouldn't be cheating. It's just one other way to make life less boring.

Ryuzaki finishes reading the paper, and then hands it to me.

I read the dates quickly, and realize that these were all from last year. Boy does my mind wander. Then my gaze hit's the entry for the 30th: c_onfirmed our Shinigami at the Tokyo Dome._

Come on, this person can't be _that_ stupid.

I mean, it's as plain as day. The Second Kira seems to have at least a few brain cells in order to set the whole thing up, so there's probably some hidden code within.

"Confirmed our Shinigami at the Tokyo Dome? That can't be right," I growl to myself as Watari hurries off to contact the Task Force.

Then I notice another entry. The word Notebook catches my eyes, and I frown again.

"Something the matter?" Ryuzaki asks as he reaches forward and plucks a chocolate from the odd assortment that Watari gave him about an hour ago.

"The entry for the 30th is a distracter," I reply. "There's probably a message in here somewhere that we can't understand."

L nods, "It seems far too stupid to do something like that at the Tokyo Dome. We should visit each area just to make sure."

"Agreed," I sit back down, shaking my head in exasperation.

The Task Force arrives shortly, Light accompanying them. L quickly outlines our conclusions (asking Light his thoughts first), states that it's so stupid he doesn't know how to deal with it, and then reveals his intent to venture outwards on all the days in the places specified.

Matsuda offers to go, stating that he'd probably blend in. I agree.

"I'll go too," Light and I say nearly at the same time, earning a scowl from me. Everybody watches silently as Light speaks again.

"We can both go, seeing as we're already dating."

The silence could have woken the dead.

I desperately want to hit my head on the wall repeatedly, and my scowl deepens. No, scratch that, I want to hit Light's head against the wall. He would do something like this, wouldn't he?

The shock of everyone in the room (and the curious stare and small smirk I get from L) seems almost unreal. After all, they all knew that I suspect Light to be Kira. They might not believe that I am actually contributing, but I'm still a member of the Task Force.

I silently remember something I heard of back in Middle School in America. 'In every awkward silence, a gay baby is born'. Well, twins are coming into the world as we speak …. Erm, think.

They silently await my answer, so I just shrug and glare at Light from my spot in my own chair. He gives me a ghost of a smile.

"It's settled then, the three of you can go," Ryuzaki breaks the silence, grinning mischievously.

Light insists on dragging me down the stairs to see him off, and Matsu (K's nickname for him) joins us, but I'm alright with getting out of the tense room. I bet that afterwards I'll sneak around 'till everyone is gone and slip into the room unnoticed. God, this is a nightmare.

This has to be the second worst idea ever.

"Bye Light," Matsu(da!) says brightly, "We'll talk about plans tomorrow."

I give a small gasp of surprise as Light snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me close. I want to punch him in the face. I can handle the little things, but this is going a little far.

"Bye," Light says. Matsuda gives a chuckle and a smile as Light finally lets me go. When it finally drives off, I give out a sigh.

"Well, I didn't see that one coming," Matsuda gives an awkward laugh and rubs the back of his neck.

"Don't get the wrong idea," I hiss, and march back inside. I think that I'll wait in the lobby until everyone is gone.

* * *

><p>I fall asleep in one of the chairs in the lobby. I am awoken to being poked in the arm. Groggily, I open my eyes and swing at whatever is trying to get me to roll out of bed. Instead, that something grabs my wrist and continues poking me.<p>

_ "Kurai …"_

My eyes snap open, and I see that Ryuzaki has once again woken me up. I give a wry grin. "You should be careful; I could really hurt you if you insist on waking me up like this."

"I noticed," he says and releases my wrist. I stretch out luxuriously, and then sit up.

"Are they gone yet?" I ask, and receive a nod. I follow him back upstairs like nothing had ever happened, and I hope that he doesn't bring up the matter.

But when we are alone in the room …

"May I ask why-"

"Don't even say it," I grumble. "I do _not_ have any sort of _'feelings' _for Light. This is for surveillance and possible gathering of evidence. Besides, _he_ came to _me_ first."

"Still, I didn't expect you to accept, especially after whatever happened in January." I shiver.

"Don't mention that, please," I say, not able to look him in the eye. He awaits further explanation, and when he doesn't get it he goes off to his chair once again. There's still that same tense silence stretching out throughout the room. I retreat to the other room.

After a while I fall asleep in one of the chairs.

* * *

><p>I wake up slowly, hesitantly. I notice that a blanket has been draped over me. Where'd it come from?<p>

Wrapping it around myself, I get up and scan the other room. The noise of keyboard clicks has faded, and sunlight streams in through the windows. Where did Ryuzaki go? I move around the room and down the steps to the next level where I hear soft breathing only heard in the morning silence. I look over to see L sprawled out on the couch … sleeping? His laptop is set on the coffee table, no doubt now in sleep mode. Ha-ha, pun.

Anyway, what really surprises me is the fact that he is actually sleeping. When he does sleep, it's usually sitting in the same way he usually does, laptop still in hand. He will only sleep for a few hours before moving on. Sometimes he just simply passes out from exhaustion.

This looks different. He's lying down. His shirt had ridden up, limbs sprawled haphazardly in any direction, head tilted to the side and mouth slightly open. His face has lost all traces of thought. He looks undeniably innocent when he's asleep, and I find myself smiling. I take the blanket from around my shoulders and lay it over him before heading off to make some coffee. It's like having a brother, even though I never had one. That's the best way I can describe it – he's my friend and a brother.

Uh, what was that saying I kept hearing in America? Oh yeah: a brother from another mother. This is funny, as it sums up the situation.

Ryuzaki acts like a big brother. He seems to care about me and my welfare. I feel … happy. Someone cares about me. I thought that wasn't going to happen again after my parent's death, and even when I befriended K and D, they don't fully understand me. I have a deeper connection to L. He knows who I am as a person.

It's too bad that our lives are in jeopardy.

I take my coffee back into the other room to discover that L is awake. Did I wake him up? Hopefully not. He's just staring at the ceiling though, lying on his back with his fingers fiddling with the edge of the blanket.

"Good morning Panda-Face," I say tiredly, sitting down on the extra space between his feet and the armrest.

"Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"Because it's funny," I say, sipping at the coffee. He eyes it.

"Can you get me some coffee?" he asks. I look over at him, arching an eyebrow. "Please?" I decide to humor him, and grab some coffee for him (mound of sugar included).

"Thank you," he says and resumes his crouch-sit when I hand him the mug. I flop down next to him again and let out a long sigh.

"What are we going to do?"

He looks at me curiously.

"Don't repeat the plan you have, that's not what I mean. In the long term, what's going to happen to the Kira Case? When it's over, if we die, if one of us dies, if we both survive? What will happen to you, what will happen to me?" I let out another heavy sigh.

Ryuzaki looks thoughtful for a moment. "We'll make the decision when we get there. The future can't be predicted."

I give a small nod and flick the hair from out of my eyes.

Best thing I've heard all week.


	18. Redemption

**Chapter Eighteen - **_Redemption  
><em>

_Flowers bloom with spring.  
><em>_Warmth flourishes with summer.  
>L<em>_eaves change with autumn.  
><em>_Snow falls with winter._

* * *

><p>Light quickly introduces Matsuda to his friends (under an alias of course, and the cover of Light's cousin), then introduces me as his girlfriend. I grit my teeth and put up with the staring. The word 'girlfriend' seems petty and fluffy to me, a word without meaning. I've heard it thrown around so often that it could make your head spin. Everyone here's heard of me. After all, I made third place in the entrance exams to To-Oh (there was no second spot due to the fact that there were two firsts). Still, they are probably speculating why pretty boy Light would take an interest in me.<p>

Lucky for them, I'm undercover (despite sucking at it) and can't do anything to them, like beating them to a bloody pulp on the sidewalk. I also can't bait Vile into killing them. Then there is that pesky little matter of the surveillance cameras all over the place.

So I am here to look for the Second Kira.

I noticed a little reference to 'blue mountain' around the Notebook entry, and with astonishment (very dramatically) I remembered this little place that K, D and I went to once when we had spare time: the Note Blue. Code words! Kurai five, Light zero.

Anyhow, I excused myself with a kind word of farewell before I disappeared with Kakushin and Makoto.

"Ohthankgodyourhere," I say in one word, grateful that I don't have to spend time around those dolts.

"Hey, no problem, we're glad to help. We can't fall behind you and Ryuzaki can we?" Yes you can, but I'm not saying that out loud. "Besides, you're sticking your neck out being with that creep. You need your space."

"Speaking of space, how's Mr. Panda-Face?" Kakushin asks as we walk down the road, deliberately towards the Note Blue without trying to look suspicious.

"Alright I suppose," I shrug, "Same as always."

"And what does 'always' mean?" Makoto asks with laughter in his voice. I roll my eyes.

"He's still the same sugar-loving, sleep-deprived panda that he's always been."

"Oh, well, we were just trying to be polite. I mean, you've practically moved in with him."

I stop, staring at them. They take three steps before pausing and looking back at me.

"Sorry, didn't mean to put it like that!"

No, actually, you're right Makoto. I _have _practically moved in with him; a few weeks over at the place, living in the same general area. I've spent more time around him than anyone I know in the past little while. Damn.

Actually, now that I think about it, Yae said that her parents were thinking about kicking me out, and Ryuzaki said that he would give me a place to stay for the duration of the case. As soon as it's over, I can use the saved money that I have to buy an apartment and start my life as a full-fledged adult. In the mean-time, why not make the switch? My possessions don't take up that much space – they all fit into my suitcase.

"Kurai!" a voice shakes me out of my inner-thoughts, and I glare at Kakushin. "Snap out of it, I thought you were having a seizure or something."

"If I was having a seizure, I wouldn't be standing here, I'd be on the ground," I say back, and start walking again. This makes them laugh.

"I can never tell what's going on in your head whenever you do that. You zone out," she laughs.

"Never thought about it," I blink, and then shrug.

* * *

><p>We do a few rounds of the streets, appearing to check out shops and such. We make sure not to go near the Note Blue for a while, but we can't spend too long, or else Light might be seen by the Second Kira.<p>

I also forgot that there are two of us here with a Death Note. The second Kira won't see Kakushin's lifespan either. That could cause severe complications.

"Oh damn," I say under my breath.

"What?" Makoto asks.

"Kakushin, you should pretend to go to some other shop when we go past the Note Blue, or else the Second Kira will know you have a notebook," I say to her, getting a nod in understanding.

As we approach, Kakushin gives one of her signature squeals and goes off towards a shop. She pauses and tells us where she's going and tells us to meet up with her later. Perfect.

Makoto and I walk past the Note Blue, and I feel my chest constricting. Is the Second Kira really in there? Oh god, what the hell am I getting myself into! No, don't look inside! Focus!

And then it's over. The day continues. We meet up with Kakushin, then with Matsu, Light and his friends.

It's over.

* * *

><p>Nothing <em>flipping<em> happens. We go to the other place, still nothing. What the hell? Isn't the Second Kira hell-bent on finding the first? I posed as Kira, so unless they found out about the multiple notebooks, they should have done _something._

"-That leaves us with the Dome on the 30th," Aizawa finishes. I wasn't even really paying attention. I'm just swirling a spoon in my coffee with my chin propped up on my hand.

"Yeah, I still think that's a distracter," I sigh, "Hopefully something will happen soon. I'm about to go crazy."

L's computer blips and a gothic W appears on the screen, _"Ryuzaki, apparently Sakura TV has just received another message from the Second Kira."_

"Hey, I'm psychic!" I chuckle quietly.

_"It was postmarked on the 23rd."_

The screen changes and we all gather around.

_"I am happy to say that I have found Kira. To all of the people at the television station and the police department, I'd like to thank you very much."_

My palms go all sweaty, and my breath catches in my throat. Is the Second Kira referring to me or Light? I hope it's me, so that I can squash him. If it's Light … we are all screwed over a million times.

"This is a disaster is he found him," Aizawa sums.

"Yeah, it most likely means that the two Kira's are now cooperating with each other," Mr. Yagami notes. No … that's not what that means …

Ryuzaki looks away from the screen and picks up his own cup, then stirs his own spoon. "At this point in time I don't think we should jump to any conclusions. The second Kira is only saying that he found him, nothing more. He may not have made contact yet." He looks up and his gaze sweeps across the room.

"We won't be able to use the Kira persona anymore," I sigh, "We, I mean, you will have to communicate with the Second Kira as the police."

"I agree," L nods, taking a sip.

"You want to send a message?" Matsu asks (Matsu-da!).

"The police need to reach out to the copycat and offer him a deal. We need to negotiate with him to get Kira's real name."

That might work on regular serial killers Ryuzaki, but I doubt it will work in this case.

* * *

><p>"That can be arranged."<p>

Well that was less awkward then I thought it would be. I mean, I'm practically requesting to move in with him, although, I've been here for a while now. So maybe it isn't so bad … I'm just a little freaked out by Makoto's comment the other day.

_"Well, what are you doing now?" _the Shinigami asks. I hardly pay attention to him, so I startle when Vile speaks.

"Going home and grabbing my stuff. Hopefully there won't be another shouting match," I sigh and shift my hair out of my face. I probably need a hair-cut.

_"Huh."_

"What's with the sudden vocalization, Vile?"

_"It's just you're getting pretty into this case. So I'm bored."_

"I hardly even pay attention to you anyway."

_"That doesn't change the fact that I'm bored."_

"Well I can't really let you play on my phone, with your talons and everything."

_"Now that's just mean."_

"Stop talking."

I end our conversation when we get down into the lobby. I don't want to be seen talking to myself, because he is invisible!

I take the train to the station closest to my 'home', and then walk the rest of the way there. It's not too cold out tonight. Vile remains silent for the rest of the walk, though he seems to be looking around with those beady little red eyes in the holes in his skull. I never understood that part, a skull over his head.

I open the door, hoping to just slip inside and upstairs and slip out before I'm noticed. Thanks to my great luck, I wander in just as they are in the living room. So they see me open the door from their vantage point.

Maybe I should go. I start closing the door, but my Uncle pulls this maneuver where he climbs over the couch, runs over and yanks the door open before I can make a run for it.

"And where the hell have _you_ been?" he shouts. He grabs me by the arm and drags me inside (slamming the door behind us) so that he can confront me in front of my Aunt and Cousin.

"It's none of your business! Let go of me!" I shout back.

"It's our business because you live under our roof! I will not accept you going out for weeks on end doing who knows what. You could be doing drugs, getting involved in gangs, having-"

"_Enough!_"I spit. They stop in surprise. "I will have you know that I am _not_ doing any things of the sort. I am, however, involved in something vitally important. I only returned to grab my stuff, and then I'm gone. I will not be treated as a _child_."

"Gone … but where will you go?" My Aunt asks worriedly.

"Where I've been for the past month," I grin slightly, just remembering our hotel-jumping games. "Now excuse me, I need to gather my possessions."

"Hold it! You're under our legal care!" My Uncle yells.

"I'm eighteen if you haven't noticed, I am_ legally_ an adult," I counter, having a hard time not to raise my voice.

"I'll call the police!"

I let myself grin wider. You know, one of those creepy smiles that people pause and wonder if you're going to kill them or laugh hysterically. "And that won't make a difference," I start heading up the stairs, "They already know where I am."

I leave them in shock and quickly climb the stairs. I throw my clothes into my suitcase (conveniently under the bed), along with my laptop and my Death Note.

_"Was it really wise to give them a hint like that?"_ Vile asks.

"Probably not, but it's still amusing seeing them like that."

"The police are on their way, and you shouldn't talk to yourself," I look up and to my utter surprise Yae is standing in the doorway. I was just zipping up the zipper.

"They actually-" I sigh and shake my head, "Oh well, I'll be gone before they can get here."

"What you said, about the police knowing where you are … is that true?"

"I see several officers every few days," I give her a small smile, "Thanks for your concern. I might see you later," I say, then move past her. She doesn't stop me.

"Where the hell are you going? You're going to stay 'til the authorities get here!" My Uncle shouts as I come down the stairs. Any shred of good humor is instantly vaporized.

"Well too bad for you!" I scowl, and slam the door on my way out.

_"That went well," _Vile chuckles.

"Shut up," I hiss, dragging my suitcase behind me. Damn them!

I am so worked up I hardly notice a small blonde kid and nearly run her over. I apologize when I do notice her.

Then I stop.

I sit the suitcase up, and then glance over my shoulder. I _wasn't_ hallucinating!

This kid has no lifespan.

This is the Second Kira.

"Uh, hi," the blonde says, smiling brightly. "My name is Misa Amane." She gives a short bow. I give her a good look and blink a few times. She's wearing gothic (and revealing) clothing; a short skirt, black makeup, black corset and top with straps, fishnet stockings. Well, she has her interests in line.

"Kurai Itsoku," I reply, figuring that I might as well be polite.

The Second Kira found _me_ and _not_ Light! This could not go any better. Now I just have to use my mad manipulation skills to make her putty in my hands to eliminate her, despite having horrible undercover skills.

Wait a moment.

She's only a kid, my age even. Teenagers hold the most powerful weapons in the world? What sort of bullshit is that? Eh, what do I care?

She has her life ahead of her though … and she would want to kill someone?

I wonder why …

"I uh, was wondering if you had a notebook …"

That's all the proof I need. I shift my stance and stare at her. "Yes."

Thankfully for us, the streets are rather dark. Nobody is around except us, and the people in the houses are too occupied to notice. It's perfect timing actually.

"I knew it!" she beams.

"So what do you want?" I ask. She holds out a slim black notebook with white symbols on the front, similar to Kakushin's, but the characters are different. I reach out and touch the edge of the notebook with my fingertips, then look up.

Misa's Shinigami is rather tall, but not as tall at Vile. Her skin is bone-white, and looks as though it is actually made of bones. Her arms look like vertebrae with clawed hands. The arms are much longer than they should be though. Her face is matted with a white hair-like material tipped with purple. Showing out from underneath one bandage is one large yellow silted eye.

"Hello," I greet the Shinigami. She narrows her eye in return.

"This is Rem. She doesn't talk much, but she's great. Can I see yours?" I rummage through my bag until I find the notebook. I was planning to stop by Kakushin's house so that she could hold it for safekeeping. I doubt it's a good idea to keep it anywhere remotely near L, even if it was concealed. I hold it out to her, and she touches it before I hide it again.

"Wow, he's nothing like Rem," Misa says, staring up at Vile. He looks down at her.

"This is Vile," I say quietly.

"This is so exciting!" she claps her hands together. "I'm sorry about the message on TV, but I couldn't think of another way to find you." I frown.

"That was a foolish thing to do. The police could have caught you."

"But they didn't catch me! If I do as you say from now on, they won't catch me. They'll never be able to catch us. So we're safe. And besides, don't you need someone to see L's name?"

Hardly. I know his name already (I bet he would spit out his coffee if I told him that … I kinda want to see that).

"It was still a stupid thing to do. How do I know you won't rat me out to them? Or kill me?"

"I-but-I-uh-" she stutters, blinking in shock. "I promise to do whatever you say. Here, I can give you my Death Note for safekeeping as an exchange. And if the police catch me, you can erase my memories by destroying it," she hands me the notebook.

"You could have ripped pages out."

"Why won't you believe me?"

"You endangered my entire goal, my dream," ugh, is this what Light sounds like in his own head?

She looks exasperated, but takes a deep breath before continuing. She tells me of how her parents were murdered and how their killer was brought to justice by Kira. She only wanted to meet him and thank him.

I melt. This girl, she's just an innocent victim. Wanted to thank Kira for what he did for her. She happened to receive the powers of Kira, so she used them to find him (or me).

She's just a kid. Not a bad soul. I don't have the heart to turn her into the police. I won't let her go on being a 'Kira', heavens no, but I won't turn her in.

I sigh, "Alright. Now is a bad time for me, but I'll contact you in the near future."

She smiles brightly again. I quickly get her phone-number (I shall delete it later), bid her farewell and am on my way.

* * *

><p>I'm grinning like a maniac on my way into the woods. I'm having Kakushin store my suitcase at the moment (her parents are out tonight) and now I'm walking into the dark woods with Misa's notebook under my black hoodie and a lighter in my pocket. I have the hood up so that if there was a small chance of anyone being here, they wouldn't recognize me.<p>

Vile follows right behind me, chuckling as he does so. He seems to be enjoying himself. He isn't bored right now.

I find a nice secluded place, and find a big rock where I roll it over to a patch of earth without too much debris. I clear out what little stuff there is and put the notebook down on the rock. I take the lighter from my pocket.

_"You're not Kira, are you?" _I hear a slow and cautious voice behind me. I turn on my heel to face Misa's Shinigami.

"You catch on quickly."

_"If you are planning to harm Misa, I will kill you."_

I chuckle and shake my head, "Don't worry Rem; I have no plan on hurting her. I think that she is simply misguided. I am going to burn her Death Note and leave her without the memories of it. She can do something with her life. She'll be happier without its curse weighing her down."

_"Why would you do that?"_

"My parents were killed as well, and besides, I am a member of the investigation team. If I didn't sympathize with her, I would be obligated to hand her over to L."

_"I only wish her to be happy."_

"She'll be happier this way," I reassure her and flick the lighter into life. A small flame dances on top of it, before I kneel down and light the corner of the Death Note. I flinch when the blue fire begins to scream.

It's the sounds of the dead.

Goodbye, Second Kira. Misa Amane. You have lost to me. Checkmate.

Kurai six, Light zero.


	19. Amusement

**A/N: **This is one of those chapters that I just do for the hell of it. Because it's funny, and you need comic relief every once in a while. :'D Kind of what I did for Chapter 9, but Chapter 29 is serious, because it's so close to the finale and I can't really fit a chapter only for shits and giggles in there. I'm so mean to her sometimes. I swear if I were to meet my own character face to face, she'd strangle me!

Oh, and I've been taking a Forensics class this semester! It's hella cool, and I discovered that they only get hair DNA from the little bits of skin left onwhen they're pulled out. So I'm going to leave the below plot device alone because I'm way to lazy to touch it right now, and hey, maybe they _do_ have little skin-bits on Misa's hair.

- DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen - <strong>_Amusement_

_Friends do not lie,  
><em>_But they can keep secrets._

_ Friends do not cheat,  
><em>_Or they are not worth it._

_ Friends are not rude,  
><em>_But they can be honest._

_ Friends do not stab you in the back,  
><em>_Or they are not your friends._

_ Friends are people who will watch out for you,  
><em>_And you watch out for them._

* * *

><p>I am relaxing in the new hotel room. It's been twenty days since I burned Misa's Death Note (that would make today June 14). The Second Kira is no more. The other detectives are puzzled by this. They would have thought that if the Second came into contact with the First, that at least <em>some<em> sort of message would be sent.

L had no idea of what to make of it, and I could only hide my smile.

The Task Force has a small shred of DNA from the envelope: one of Misa's hairs. I've been thinking about how I'm going to negate it. Unfortunately I can't see how I could pull that off without leaving any evidence against _me._

_"Kurai, I'm bored!" _Vile shouts at me. I roll my eyes and focus on the article I was reading on my laptop. I'm laying on my back, stretched out on the couch, head against the armrest with a pillow in between. It's still early morning, so I haven't bothered to change out of my pajamas. Ryuzaki is somewhere else in another room.

"Then go do something," I say back quietly.

_"I can't think of anything," _he whines like a child.

"Since when have you been such a pain?" I groan and slide my hand down my face. "Fine, I'll help you get rid of boredom if you can sabotage Misa's evidence for me."

He's silent for a moment before,_ "Alright." _His wings extend from his back and he takes off in a swish of air that ruffles some of the pages on the coffee table.

I … I hadn't actually been serious. I mean, who would have expected that he'd actually agreed to do it? I wonder what he's thinking, but most of all I hope that I haven't gotten myself into something I can't handle.

I quickly finish reading the article, something about glowing monkeys for Aids research. After that, I shut the lip to the laptop and go searching for Panda-Face. I don't want to admit it, but I'm bored too. Light hasn't done anything yet, and I'm sitting here on edge.

The next room is dark, so I flick on the lights. L looks over his shoulder from his perch on his chair. The laptop he clings to so closely is resting on the table in front of him. A tray of sweets is sitting next to that.

"What you doing?" I ask, looking over the chair at the screen.

"That is hardly a proper use of grammar."

"It's the morning; I don't feel the need to use my brain." I lean on the chair so that I'm staring right at him, arms dangling down. "There's no need to give me that look Panda-Face."

"My name is not 'Panda-Face'," he makes a point of looking back at his computer screen.

"You need a break."

"I will take a break once I figure out why the Second Kira has disappeared."

"They're probably dead; Kira must have killed 'em. Besides, it's not like you can do anything at the moment."

"I would like to continue with my work, if you mind." His intent could not be any clearer. I sigh, then get off the chair and head off towards the in-suite kitchen to make some fresh coffee. I need it desperately at this point.

I grumble the entire while. I am taking the first sip of a cup when Vile floats up through the floor. "Back so soon?" I ask.

_"It was so easy to do," _he chuckles. _"You owe me now."_

I narrow my eyes, but Shinigami aren't as easy to read as people are. "Fine, what do you want?"

_"I want something interesting today. Not just sitting around doing nothing."_

I think a moment. I can make that happen. But first, something suddenly strikes me, so I go pour another cup of coffee. "Try this," the red lights blink from his skull, so he shuffles over and leans down so that I can pour the hot liquid down his maw. I maneuver the cup past those huge teeth and pour it straight down his gullet, retracting my hand before he bites it or something.

Vile stands up strait, completely still for a moment. I wonder if caffeine works on Shinigami. I start laughing quietly when he shakes his head, his entire body shivering shortly after.

_"Whoa, what _is _that stuff?" _he asks me, looking around for more.

"Coffee," I smile, "Really gets you going."

_"More …" _I bet if he didn't have a skull for a head, he would probably start drooling right around now. I grab the coffee pot and pour the rest down his throat. He starts acting like he's caffeine-high or something, which all things considering is probably true. I can't help but laugh when he trips on thin air and falls on his face. He looks like some sort of weird chicken.

After Vile calms down I go back into the living room and fetch my cell-phone. I have something in mind that Vile will find interesting, and we all need it desperately.

_"Hello?" _Kakushin answers.

"Hey, what's up? I need a favor of you," I quickly explain what I have in mind.

_"Sure thing, I wouldn't miss this for the world! I'll be right there."_

I go get changed while I'm waiting for Kakushin to get here – jeans, black socks and a black and white striped sweater with convenient pockets. I like pockets. They're so useful.

_"So what do you have planned?" _Vile asks.

"Just watch," I stick my tongue out at him.

I also call the others and instruct them to meet us outside the Collage campus. Kakushin arrives shortly, knocking on the door to the room. I quickly let her in.

"Alright, let's go," she giggles. I lead her into the other room as silently as I possibly can. We sneak up on Ryuzaki …

I lean over the chair and snap the lid to his laptop shut.

He looks over at me and gives me the best death-glare he possibly can. I give a big grin, and from his other side Kakushin grabs his arm and yanks him out of the chair. I laugh at his stunned expression from on the floor. He stands up and goes to grab his laptop (shooting a glare at Kakushin), but quickly discovers that _I _have it.

"Niiro, give my computer back," he says through gritted teeth.

"No," I reply, still grinning. He moves to take it from me, but I dance just out of his reach. "You're not getting it back unless you promise to take a break."

He pauses, seeming to weigh his options. I wonder if he's arguing with himself. That's a sign of insanity, especially if you argue back.

"Come on Panda-Face! It'll be fun!" Kakushin adds.

"Alright," he lets out a sigh and relaxes. I hand him back his laptop and he sets it down on the table. "What do you want of me?"

"We're going to go out with the others," I reply.

"Who is included in 'the others'?" he looks over at me with an annoyed expression.

"Makoto, Light and a friend of Light's."

He looks as though he wants to hit his head repeatedly against the wall. I would have sympathized with him, but he needs to get out more, so I can't. Too bad for you, L.

* * *

><p>We get over to campus pretty quickly. Makoto, Light and a girl that I've seen in some of my classes are there (I can't remember her name for the life of me). I smile and wave as we approach as Kakushin skips up to them. L lurks behind me, giving off an aura of serious dislike. Vile seems to be having fun, because he keeps chuckling every once in a while.<p>

"What's up guys?" I ask as we get close enough.

"We got here as soon as we could," Makoto answers.

"Thanks. It took both Kakushin and I to get Panda-Face outside," I laugh good-naturedly. I don't care if I'm getting glares from behind my back. Today, he's in such a bad mood he's not even pretending to be nice. That's saying something, especially when he's in public.

I then turn to the rest of them, "Are we going?"

They all nod or give a grunt of agreement.

We walk for a while, talking about things like classes or recent news or other things like that. We stay away from the Kira case however, because Light's friend is the only one not in the 'informed' group.

That is, we avoid that topic until she brings it up.

"The Kira killings still haven't stopped, even with all the people after him," the girl says, and pretty much the rest of us tense up.

"Well, Kira leaves no evidence besides death," Makoto interjects, "It's no wonder that it's taking a while."

"They've gotten _nowhere_ though," she replies steadily, "It's as if the police force and L are incompetent."

Ouch, that must have hurt. I glance back at Ryuzaki, and sure enough he's tensed up even more. I now look over at Kakushin, and with pleading eyes I convey the message 'we need a distraction'.

Kakushin seems to get a brilliant idea, because she gives a sequel of joy and points across the street. "Kurai, oh my god we have to do this!"

I look to where she's pointing.

Oh god no.

I run and hide behind Ryuzaki. "Don't make me go in there!" I get amused looks from Light, Makoto, Kakushin and the other girl.

"Come on Kurai, it won't kill you!"

"You know damn well I hate those hell-holes!"

"You do look like you could use it," Light's friend says. Insensitive bitch …

Vile is laughing hysterically now. Are you happy Shinigami? You don't have to be bored today. I'm sticking my pride and dignity out for you! This wasn't worth the evidence! I repent!

The girl and Kakushin drag me out from behind Ryuzaki (who looks slightly less pissed and even amused) and away over the street. "Save me!"

"Come on Kurai! It'll be fun!"

"Yeah, you'll look great afterwards."

_"I don't want to get a makeover!"  
><em>

* * *

><p>"I hate both of you," I hiss. They forced me to get a freaking makeover. A makeover! Fortunately, I insisted that the stuff they did to me wouldn't be permanent. I can take it all off as soon as this is done. They said something along the lines of 'just try it, you might like it!' I want to rip out the heart of something. Why, why me?!<p>

"You don't, you're just not used to what they've done with your hair," Kakushin laughs. We're in a row, in seats, as whatever that stuff was dries.

I glance over at Kakushin (on my left) and then at Takada (I got her name earlier).

I look back at the space in front of me and groan, "This was not a good idea. Although, not my worst." I grimace.

"What's your worst?" Kakushin asks.

"Getting drunk on my eighteenth birthday."

Both Takada and Kakushin laugh at me.

"It's not funny! I have no idea what I did that night, but according to Yae I was on the phone."

Kakushin gives one of those evil grins that we're so proud of, "With who?"

I groan again, "Panda-Face."

Kakushin roars with laugher and Takada just looks confused.

"Panda-Face?" she asks.

"Our nickname for Ryuzaki," I say.

"Why would you call him that?"

"It's a long story," I quickly tell her about my 'Panda-eyes' and how when Kakushin met him she exclaimed that he had them too. I don't tell her about the reason for the meeting however. Top secret shit that is.

"You know him well?" Takada asks me afterwards.

"Sort of, we're friends."

"You're dating Light, and friends with the other top-student."

"That about sums it up."

"I mean, why would Light take an interest in you? You're so much like Ryuzaki. Not the type that Light would go for."

I give a small smile. "Panda-Face and I might be similar in a cosmic sort of sense, but we have very different personalities. As for Light, I have no idea. My guess is that I'm the most intelligent female on campus. He seems to not like people less intelligent than him." Takada huffs indignantly.

"Yeah, that's true. I bet if Panda-Face was a girl, Light would be going after him instead of you," Kakushin points out.

Now _that_ thought was _funny! _Both Kakushin and I laugh so hard we start tearing up.

* * *

><p>The Shinigami, Vile, followed the three human boys as they continued to wander. He had no interest in human female bonding behavior, even if he did pity his human's misfortune. That was why it was so amusing.<p>

In the meantime he found this group to be much more interesting. Only the one human boy, Makoto Korin, could see him, and seemed rather perplexed as to why Vile was following them instead of Kurai. The answer was simple: Kurai had promised entertainment, so he was going to get it.

It was the other two he was interested in though. These two hated each other with everything they had, but acted like they were friends, except today. Today the dark one was followed by a black cloud of anger, and it affected the other two.

It was the perfect scenario for something interesting to happen.

Ryuk, who was trailing after the group too, seemed to agree.

"So … How's it going with you two?" Makoto tried to break the awkward silence, causing Vile to smirk inwardly. It was the calm before the storm, the tense silence where you could hear a pin drop.

The Shinigami was just waiting for the pin to drop, and all hell would break lose.

"Alright I suppose," Light shrugged.

"It would be better if we had a _lead_," Ryuzaki muttered shortly.

"Sorry man, I can't help you with that," Makoto shrugged.

"Wait … does that mean you're in on the case?" Light asked Makoto.

"Yeah, I hacked Kurai in. That's how she got on the case in the first place." Makoto laughed good-naturedly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You're a hacker?" Light asked.

"That is what he was implying Light, or do you feel the need to state the obvious?" Ryuzaki said dryly. Light's attention switched from the hacker to the dark detective.

"I was just double-checking. It's polite, and a way to forward a conversation," he replied steadily.

"Completely unnecessary," Ryuzaki retorted.

And …

"What is with you? There's no need to be rude," Light's smile faded.

The pin dropped.

Vile laughed inwardly in victory. He was right, these humans were so interesting.

"There's no need to be a snotty teenage brat," L growled back. The group stopped walking as Light and L had a stare down. Makoto stood next to Vile, who was chuckling.

"What's _wrong_ with you? You're acting like a real jerk," Light was getting really pissed.

"Well maybe if Light were to _stop talking, _we could go and get this over with."

"Maybe if you got that stick out of your ass, and acted half-way decent, you wouldn't have to 'get it over with'."

"It all counts on your perspective of 'decent'."

"Well you could at least _try_ to act like a human being!"

"Or Light could accept that everyone doesn't have to fit into his vision of how the world should work. Very Kira lik-"

Ryuzaki never got the chance to finish, because Light's fist connected with his face. Makoto flinched from the sidelines as the scrawny detective hit the pathment, hard. Vile just chuckled louder, which escalated into full-out howling.

The stunned L silently picked himself off the ground, his face shadowed and mouth set in a frown. His arms hung limply by his sides, but you could tell that he was ready to spring at any moment.

"You know, _Light_, it's impolite to hit someone."

Light stalked forward so that he was right in the detective's face. "It's _impolite_ to take your frustration out on other people!"

The next move was completely unexpected to the others, especially since it was L making the move. He ducked down and twisted his body around, sending his foot into the air, which caught Light right in the jaw. The brunette flew a few feet where he hit the ground, the breath rushing out of his lungs.

Light blinked as he recaptured his lost breath. He got off the ground and was just about to rush forward and attack L with everything he had, but Makoto jumped in between them, waving his arms.

"Enough guys, stop fighting!" Makoto shouted.

The two of them backed down, still glaring at each other.

Vile laughed hysterically, clutching his stomach and bowed over. This was so much fun! He enjoyed being near the human Kurai, because she was able to give him much amusement.

Today was definitely not boring.

* * *

><p>I grumbled all the way back to the hotel. Damn them, they did all this weird shit to me, and it's going to take at least <em>three <em>showers to get it all off. Next time I need to come up with a quick distraction, do_ not _ask Kakushin.

Don't even get me started on that bitch Takada – all self-righteous and stuff. Thinks she's all that and a bag of chips, going for the 'sophisticated' look. No, real smart people look like we're crazy, just kidding, or am I?

You know what? I don't even_ care_ anymore. I'm just going to go up there, take an Aspirin, a nice long shower and then sleep.

Makoto called me earlier, told us not to wait up for them. I wonder what happened. I'll probably find out later. So I'm just walking across the lobby, into the elevator.

_Ding! _It stopped. Shuffle down the hall; take the key-card from my pocket; swipe it through; open the door.

I give a loud sigh of relief and then I notice Vile standing in the middle of the room. I quickly glance around to make sure nobody is here. "Happy now?" I groan.

"Yep," he chuckles. "Hey, do you have any more coffee?"

"No," I say, lethargically shuffling towards the bathroom to get this crap off my face. That's when I pause. The room that Ryuzaki currently lurks in in dark – usually there would still be a faint glow coming from his laptop. There is no glow now.

I cautiously step into that room, careful not to hit anything. It's quiet, too quiet. "Hello?" I say, looking around.

"Hello Niiro," a muffled voice replies. I sigh, shake my head and go turn the lights on. Is he really just sulking? He sulks like a child.

_'I'm also childish and I hate to lose'_, he had said. Well, I can see the truth in that. It takes me only a few seconds to find him. He's in the corner, back to the wall, face buried in his knees and arms extended over them. His hands continue to clench and unclench.

"What happened to you?" I ask, standing in front of him. He slowly looks up, and we study each other closely.

He has a nice shiny black eye, and I don't mean his usual brand, I mean the bruising kind.

He is silent for a moment. "You look … different," he observes, sub-consciously bringing his thumb to his lower lip.

"No shit, Sherlock," I sigh. "I'm not even going to ask what happened. I'm just going to go take a shower," I shake my head, turning around to leave the room.

You better be fully satisfied Vile, because I'm not helping you again anytime soon.

I need an Aspirin …


	20. Red's Debut

**A/N: **And here we go, the real plot changes begin here. I've yanked the reigns out of the hands of the previous plot and put in place a new driver. Hold onto your seats, it's going to be pure awesome. I can't wait to show you how I've changed the ending, because it's pure awesome. I have one more chapter to write. The story now has 34 chapters total. Who-hoo!

-DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty - <strong>_Red's Debut  
><em>

_Stepping out of the shadows,  
><em>_Into the light.  
><em>_No longer unknown,  
><em>_Unseen.  
><em>_Start the race._

* * *

><p><em>"You will be the lead investigator in a case separate of the Kira case. You will go under the alias Red, and I will provide you with the necessary equipment required to keep your identity unknown. Any additional funding will be provided by me. The goal of your investigation is to recover Naomi Misora's body, and if possible gather evidence of her murder."<em>

"So, Kurai, how are you doing?" Light asks and smiles pleasantly.

I look up at him, sulking quietly as I fiddle with the spoon in my coffee cup. There really isn't much of a reason to answer him, so I just let the silence be my reply.

"Is that good?"

"Oh, _sure_, I'm just fan-fucking-tastic," I reply sarcastically.

"What's the matter?"

I sigh. He will just keep badgering me until I do answer him. "This case is bothering me. I don't have much to go on, at all."

"You mean the Kira case?" Light blinks, and I shake my head.

"I've been put in charge of a separate case."

"I thought you were working with Ryuzaki though," Light says, confused. He wouldn't know of this, we haven't told him, although, there hasn't been anything said about _not_ telling him. And if anything were to get Kira's skin crawling, it would have to be knowing that there is someone looking for that one little oversight you squashed.

"I am, but in the meantime I am looking for the corpse of someone we suspect was murdered by Kira."

"Who?"

"A woman by the name of Naomi Misora," his eyes widen in recognition. I _knew _it!

This is the problem though.

I suspect that Light killed her. That much is obvious. To do that he would have to write her name down, and because we can't find her body, some form of instructions as to _where _she would die.

So where the hell is she?!

I've looked as much as I can (even though I know that probably won't do anything, but I might as well get rid of our options), everywhere I can go without having to leave for more than a few days at a time. Light's a Collage student who's spent his entire life in the general area. There aren't that many places he could hide a body.

It's July 13th.

I've spoken with other detectives from around Japan, and even FBI agents that she's worked with. Still nothing, they have no clue, not even an _inkling_ as to where she could be.

* * *

><p><em>"Hello, Detective Red," the FBI agent said, nodding to the computer. Kurai sat on the other side of the screen, grinning in satisfaction. Contacting L wasn't the only use her computer could serve. There was a one-way video set up so that she could see them but they couldn't see her. Her voice modifier was on, and the picture representing her was being displayed.<em>

_ She was being connected through another computer in the FBI headquarters. A person on the other end (working for L) had set up the whole thing, working as her own Watari. This thought made her smile as well. She felt powerful, respected._

_ "Good evening. I assume you know the reason for this meeting?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ She had been recommended to them to take this case by L. His reputation had left no room for arguments. If he thought she was good enough to take this on, then there wasn't much they could do, especially when he had taken a special interest in this particular murder. _

_ It had been made very clear who they had thought had killed her: Kira. It was also clear that until they could provide proof of that, it would remain a separate case. The FBI knew this very well, but they would be happy enough just to recover her body._

_ "Good. I'd like to hear everything you know about her."  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Who's that?" Light asks.<p>

"Raye Penbar's fiancé, she's been missing for months …"

"So how do you know she's dead?"

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Light, I suspect that she was murdered by Kira. I came to that conclusion the moment I had heard who she was, and that she was missing, which was early January."

His eyes widen even more, and a slight frown tugs at his lips.

"Anyway, the objective is to find the body and if possible gather evidence of her murder," I say, attention returning to the coffee in front of me.

"Are you sure it was murder? I mean, she could have killed herself. It must have been pretty depressing when her fiancé was killed," Light suggests, probably defending himself. Light, I can see right through you.

"Honestly, if she had killed herself I would bet everything I have that it would be in a place where somebody could find her, so that her family could give her a proper funeral. What's suspicious is that she's missing."

"There's no evidence."

"I know. That's why I'm in such a bad mood."

I glance up at Light. He seems to be deep in thought. Damn him. Somehow, he found Naomi before we did and now she's dead. He wrote it down in his little notebook, probably lying and saying that he was just writing a note down.

I wonder how he came across her …

That's beside the point. I have to find the body before I can do anything else.

Hold it.

Light said that she could have committed suicide.

Damn, how could I have missed that!

I abruptly stand up and drain the rest of my mug in one gulp.

"Hey, where're you going?" Light asks, startled by my sudden change.

"Thanks Light, couldn't have done it without you," I chuckle at his expression. "I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner," I say to myself and head towards the door.

"What?"

"Can you pay Light? Thanks!" I call over my shoulder as I leave.

* * *

><p>My walk back to the hotel is quick and rushed with my hands shoved into the pockets of my jeans.<p>

_"So this means you finally have something to go on?" _Vile asks me. Ever since I helped get rid of his boredom he's a little bit more free with his opinion. He still likes to mock me whenever he can though. He's a sly bastard that way.

"Yes," I reply quickly as I swing open the door to the building.

_"Well, looks like things will be a little more exciting around here then."_

Absolutely Vile, It _will_ be a little more exciting.

I run upstairs to the room, taking stairs two at a time. I would have done three, but I would have probably tripped and fell on my face. I'm not too tall, so my legs aren't that long either. Ryuzaki's a lot taller than me and it's even worse for Light. It seems like everyone I know is a little taller than me, or a lot taller than me.

The door's locked, so I end up fumbling with the handle for a few seconds before I realize that the key-card is in my pocket. I do a face-palm and pull it out and open the door.

Ryuzaki is standing in the middle of the room, staring owlishly at me as I rush inside and shut the door behind me. I waste no time greeting him and instead rush over to the coffee table where the pages for my case are scattered.

I have spent hours there, puzzling at all the information that I had. In fact, it was a little too much. Maybe that is why it took me so long to come to this conclusion. I remember in January thinking of something similar, but I didn't make the complete jump before now.

"You seem to be in a hurry," Ryuzaki observes, not moving from the spot.

I don't answer him, the gears turning too fast in my head to make a coherent reply. I shift aside different pages and slowly gather the ones that I need at the moment.

Ryuzaki comes to stand next to me, finger up to his mouth, "What did you find out?"

I stand up straight and stare at him incredulously. Won't he just shut up and leave me to my conclusions? Judging from his expression, probably not – I've caught his attention.

"I've been looking at this whole thing the wrong way," I say, glancing back down at the pages. "I find that I haven't come to this conclusion a huge and stupid mistake on my part, but fortunately it won't kill anyone."

"Go on."

"I've been evaluating all the information I have with the assumption that I'm looking for a murder victim, so I'm getting nowhere. That's what everybody naturally assumes when they hear that I think she was killed by Kira. _Killed_ is the key word. Nobody would suspect that we were looking for someone who committed suicide!"

"You don't think she committed suicide though."

"If she had committed suicide it would have been somewhere where we could find her, therefore her family could give her a proper burial. She isn't the sort of person to just die in a secret place and leave her family a wreck."

"Then why would you think to look for the place she killed herself?"

"That's what Kira would do!" I shout excitedly. "My first conclusion: Kira can kill in more ways than one! I said something similar in January. Kira could have her kill herself somewhere secluded and secret. People do this in normal homicides too; make it look like a suicide and move the blame away from them."

"Then what are you so excited about?" I can tell he's just baiting me into explaining everything. He's grinning, so he has an idea of what I'm saying.

"Kira can also control his victims before death. Kira is cunning, so I bet that he would know it would be too easy to find her body if he hid it in a place he knew about. It's too easy! Childs play. So what if he made her kill herself in a place that nobody besides her could find or know about?"

L is grinning, and I grin back.

"He wouldn't even have to know where it was. It's the perfect way to hide a body."

"So, now what are you going to do?"

"Look for plausible places where she could kill herself in seclusion."

"Do you need anything for that?"

"Yeah, probably, I'll let you know later."

He nods, and heads off to where he was seated before. I gather all my pages together and head towards my own seat.

I have a long night ahead of me.

* * *

><p>I sigh and place the last page on the pile of 'read' pages. That took longer than expected. It's actually been two days since I had any sleep. So as you can imagine, I'm about to collapse.<p>

I've read all the pages that I needed to read and then some. When I read some things I needed more information so I went and read more pages. I've even talked to some of the FBI a few times to learn more.

I need to find a general area where she could have possibly found a hiding spot.

Now, after reviewing all the information, I need to pick a spot to start.

Her childhood might be a good place; there are tons of places that kids get into! Since I can't talk to her, I should talk to the people who were closest to her. I doubt that I would be able to find friends … she has no siblings, so that leaves her parents!

They are living in Japan. Apparently that was one of the reasons Penbar took that particular assignment. It was because he would be working in Japan. They had been here to get married, and more importantly introduce Penbar to her parents.

That's where I will start.

* * *

><p>"Welcome," an older woman greets me as she opens the door, though she pauses when she sees me. I give a reluctant sigh. Of course.<p>

I had decided to come here in person, to show my good will. They are grieving, so I didn't want to alienate them by sending off a person with a laptop in order to speak with them. These people want to speak with real people.

They did not expect me though.

They had been under the impression that a private detective had been hired by the FBI to investigate the disappearance of their daughter. So naturally they expected a middle-aged man in a suit with slick lawyer-like skills, not a young woman, barely an adult, dressed in casual clothes knocking at their front door.

"Come in …" she says, blinking in surprise. I nod politely and go in, taking off my shoes and leaving them by the door. "Are you Detective Red?" she asks hesitantly.

"I am. Thank you for letting me come and speak with you Mrs. Misora," I say, giving a small smile.

Mrs. Misora presents herself like a mousy little housewife, with traditional and older perspectives to what a woman and a house should be like. She seems a little off-put by my appearance and general aura.

She quietly leads me into her living room, where there is a little spread of finger-foods. I wonder if she bakes when she's upset. I take a seat in one of the squishy armchairs and place my bag by my feet.

Mr. Misora is sitting across from me, eyeing me warily with suspicion. It's not like I didn't expect that. He's a larger and older man with a walrus moustache and bristly black and gray hair.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Mrs. Misora asks me hesitantly.

"Coffee, thank you," I reply, taking out the voice recorder from my bag and setting it up on the table. After that I take out a thick coil notebook and a pen.

She comes back a few minutes later with a nice steaming cup of coffee. I take it graciously, with a short 'thank you'. I turn the recorder on as I take sip. Mrs. Misora seats herself on the couch next to her husband.

"I'd like to ask that you keep any information I reveal during this meeting to yourselves," I say, glancing up at them. They exchange looks of uncertainty before nodding to me.

"Is there a reason for the secrecy?" Mr. Misora asks.

"Yes, mainly due to the fact that you will be receiving confidential information."

"Confidential information?" Mrs. Misora squeaks. I nod.

"I will be honest with you. I don't think that your daughter is alive any longer. In fact, I suspect that she was murdered."

"Murdered?" Anguished expressions flash across their faces.

My mouth forms a thin line as I nod, "By Kira, to be exact."

"Why would Kira want to hurt our daughter?"

"If you do not already know so, three months before her disappearance your daughter was an FBI agent. Her fiancé, Raye Penbar, was also an FBI agent. In later December he was killed along with 12 other members of the FBI. He had been on duty in the country under L, investigating the Japanese Police for suspicious activity or signs of a leak in information. He died of a heart attack."

"Why are you telling us this?" Mrs. Misora asks, absolutely horrified.

"You deserve the right to know. Now, shortly after Penbar's death, she disappeared. Both L and I agree that she is not a person to commit suicide. No, it was far more likely that she went after Kira on her own. It's possible that she could have found a lead. I suspect that Kira got to her first."

"You're working with L?" They both blink in unison.

"Yeah, I am also working on the Kira case," I confirm.

"So let me get this straight. You think that Naomi found something out, and Kira found her first and killed her?" Mr. Misora asks.

"Yes."

"Then why would she be missing? Kira kills with heart attacks," Mrs. Misora says.

"Well … not necessarily. We discovered early on in the first few months of the investigation that to some extent Kira can control his victim's actions before death. That stunt he pulled in March proved it. So I also have reasons to believe that Kira may be able to kill in more ways than one."

Their eyes widen.

"I came to the conclusion that if this were true, Kira would be able to have her kill herself somewhere secluded. I haven't been able to find her body this way. Recently I thought that if Kira could control the victim's before death, and kill in other ways, he could have her kill herself somewhere that only _she_ would know about."

"You're saying that she killed herself?" Mrs. Misora asks quietly.

"Yes, but not willingly."

"So then why are you here talking to us?" Mr. Misora asks.

"I want to know if there was some general area that she could have discovered a hiding spot in her childhood. Did she go out adventuring? Did she often go out for long periods of time?"

They tell me everything they know. Unfortunately the information they give me is unsubstantial for me to make any conclusions. I'll probably have to send people to investigate the areas to make sure, but at the moment I doubt that I will find the place in her childhood.

I thank them for their time and promise to keep them updated on my progress. I leave feeling as though I have knocked off one possibility.


	21. Discovery

**A/N: **Come on guys, throw me a bone here and just leave a comment. You're killing me! I don't have to make my puppy dog eyes do I? =^=

On another note I have a special scene halfway through the Chapter that replaces the 'pointless box' scene from the last time. This one has character development and depth, and touches at the main themes of ... well everything. I like it. :) I hope you do too.

Enjoy!  
><strong><br>**- DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-One - <strong>_Discovery  
><em>

_Treasures,  
><em>_Lost long ago.  
><em>_Forgot relics,  
><em>_Buried in the earth.  
><em>_Secrets,  
><em>_Left to rot.  
><em>_Lost,  
><em>_Until discovered.  
><em>

* * *

><p>With L's connections I am able to send off several FBI agents to investigate plausible secret areas in Naomi's past.<p>

"Calm yourself Andrews, I meant no disrespect when I asked you to investigate the following areas," I try to sooth the irritated agent, but he seems rather upset. He's been put under my direct command (much to my satisfaction) and is currently leading a team to investigate areas of Naomi's childhood while other teams under his command have gone to investigate other areas of interest. At the moment I'm just flipping through files on her life and digging around to see if I can find any spot that may be overlooked in her childhood to adolescent years.

_"We're looking for a murder victim! I don't see why we have to look around places like this," _his voice is husky with irritation. I don't blame him, none of the agents currently under my command have been told of my reasons. Also, since this is currently a separate case and Naomi was previously an FBI agent, the FBI had jumped at the chance to participate, which is why I'm not currently using the Japanese Police Force.

"My reasons will become clear _after_ I find her body."

_ "You mean _we_ find her body."_

"You may be the one to actually see it, but remember that it is _I_ who is directing _you._"

I hear the agent mumble something incomprehensible on the other end, but it is pretty obvious that he still doesn't like the idea. On the other hand, he seems more at ease and will still follow my orders.

I'm using the phone that D had rigged up for me to change my voice. The annoyed FBI agent had been given the contact information for this particular phone, so he can speak with me over this phone and send me any files I might need over my laptop. I guess when I initiated being Red I didn't expect to use the voice switch for much more than speak with L, but it seems that it has other purposes now.

It's now close to the end of July. I haven't been to school since my brilliant discovery (okay, maybe I'm stroking my own ego, but I deserve it!), so K and D take notes from the different lectures or bribe other people to take them, then send them off to me. I don't need much besides that, and I really only need to attend the major exams. So I am perfectly free to spend all my time in a hotel room.

"Is that all, Andrews?" I ask, giving an exasperated sigh. Soothing nerves is rather annoying.

_ "I'll update you soon."_

"Good," I press the 'end call' button and flip the phone shut, relaxing back into the chair.

One thing that annoys me constantly about working on a case like this while in a hotel room is that I have to hide the files labeled 'Top Secret' from the cleaning staff. Oh, and another thing, I need to pack up and move every few days. This hotel jumping is really starting to get on my nerves.

I shift so that I'm lying on my stomach with my legs and arms handing over either side of the armchair. I grab my other phone from my pocket and quickly text K.

_Hey, how's it going so far?_

_ gud, u?_

_ Alright, though they're being hella annoying._

_ tht sux_

_ The jumping is getting on my nerves too._

_ hs pandaface said anthg abt it?_

_ No._

_ tht sux gtg tlk 2 u l8r_

I feel a twinge of annoyance at K's hack-job texting. I never understood that part. It's rather annoying and hard to read.

I pause as a shadow falls over me, and I look up to see L leaning over me, reading the conversation on the phone.

"I doubt I will understand the butchered style of communication that is 'texting'," he smirks.

"You and me both," I agree, "Hey Panda-Face, it's getting rather annoying to keep jumping hotels like this."

L nods, "Actually, I thought of that early on in the investigation. I believe the facility should be ready in a few days."

I blink in surprise, "Facility?"

He nods once again, "Come see." I get off the chair, shoving my phones into my pockets and followed him to his 'spot' where he has his laptop set up. I lean over his shoulder as he pulls open a file with the blue print.

"Whoa," I say in sheer awe.

"Twenty-three floors above ground, and two below, two hidden helicopters on the roof, cameras installed on every floor."

"When did you come up with this?"

"Shortly after our first in-person meeting."

"That's so cool."

"You will have a whole floor to yourself, and there are only cameras in the general living areas. If Kaen and Donju wish to join us, they will be accommodated accordingly. And if our investigation team grows, we will be able to house sixty people."

"Great! When can we move in?"

"Thursday."

* * *

><p>Just as he said, we were able to move all of our stuff to the new investigation building.<p>

I look up in excitement at the building above me. Thanks to its height I cannot see the helicopters on the roof. The rest of the building is designed to look like a private hotel, so not to arise suspicion.

"Brilliant," I whisper to myself, grinning before I head up the steps.

The security measures in place make my head spin, but I recognize them as necessary. With his mad memorization and navigation skills (seriously, I doubt he would get lost in this place, unlike me) L leads me up to my very own floor.

The walls are a light grey color, and the carpet is a fluffy black – perfect for my tastes. The curtains, much to my amusement, are a bright shade of red. I have lots of space, my own kitchen, bedroom, everything. I even have a little room set up with a few computers that I can work as Red from.

"Thanks a lot!" I say, and raise my hand for a high-five in a moment of giddiness. L just stares at my hand. "Come on, you can't leave me hanging like that," I pout and let my hand drop.

As soon as I've unpacked (including the mountain of files) I head downstairs to the main investigation room, where everyone is currently gathered.

"This place is so cool!" K exclaims as soon as I come into sight.

"I guess it is," I chuckle and join them. The Task Force has settled down on some couches off to the side of the room, so it's just us four at the moment. L heads off to the computers on the far side of the room.

"I wonder how he managed to pay for this," Light says, glancing off in Ryuzaki's direction.

"He's filthy rich from the amount of money he cashes in from different cases," I shrug.

"Yeah, no doubt about that, his food bills alone must account for something," D comments, making the rest of us laugh.

"Anyway, are you guys going to stay here?" I ask. K and D shake their heads.

"Yeah, I think I will, but I won't be moving in," Light says, "I'll stay a few days at a time."

"I guess it's still just me and Panda-Face then," I say, "Not including Watari and the Task Force of course."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Light blinks. Oh yeah, I guess I _forgot_ to mention that I've been staying with L for the meanwhile.

"Erm …" I gave a small guilty smile, "I've been staying with Ryuzaki since the Second Kira incident."

"And were you planning to tell me that?" Light says, looking rather annoyed now. I just shrug as K and D laugh.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Makoto," Kakushin said as her and her friend walked down the street together after leaving a Task Force meeting.<p>

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked, sensing that what she was about to say was important.

"Kurai seems happier this way, don't you think?"

Makoto, surprised, stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean?"

Kakushin paused and looked back at him. "It's like … before her father died she always seemed … a little out of it, if you know what I mean. She wasn't always _there_. It was like she was off in her own little world."

Makoto gave a short laugh, "I know what you mean. I don't think she even remembered our names before this whole thing started."

"I felt bad for her, you know? I thought she was depressed or lonely or something, but I think I get it now."

"Get what?"

"It's not that she was lonely, she was just really, really _bored_."

Both of them shivered.

"Bored?"

They started walking again.

"Yeah, now it's like she's so full of energy. She likes working on this case because it gives her something to do, something to work for."

"I thought it was something about Justice."

"Ah, well … that's part of it I suppose."

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"She's lying to herself. I guess she knows it at a subconscious level, but her whole 'killing people before their time' thing is only a surface level motivation. Like you said, she was bored. And what I found odd when I overheard you was that she'd actually tested it, but she claimed that it wasn't real."

"You're right, that was a bit weird."

"I think it was because she _wanted_ it to be real. And of course it was, but the thought of going after a mass murderer was just really appealing to her. I honestly don't even think we _needed_ to contact L, but again, it was because she just wanted to."

"That sounds like Vile," Kakushin shivered, before looking over her shoulder. "What do you think, Kuru?"

_"You're right,"_ the bear Shinigami chuckled, _"I think the reason Vile likes her so much is because they're so alike."_

"Now that's a scary thought," Makoto laughed nervously, "I'm glad she didn't decide to become another Kira then."

"Maybe that's what Kira was after."

"What?"

Kakushin explained, "Light had his whole life ahead of him, and it was looking good for someone like him. Maybe he was bored too, and his Justice thing is only his outer excuse to kill boredom."

"Yeah, but there's another thing."

"What?"

"Maybe all three of them are like that."

"You mean Panda-Face too?"

"Absolutely, all three of them are in this only because they were _bored_. I mean, Ryuzaki's almost like a modern version of Sherlock Holmes, right? He solves cases because he likes to. Kira, motivated by disgust for lower-thinking humans decided to essentially take over the world. Kurai was motivated by the deaths of her parents. It doesn't change the face that they're only doing this because they see it as a _game._"

"That's terrible, but makes a lot of sense," Kakushin grimaced.

Above them Kuru was glad that the Shinigami were incredibly lazy, or the human race could have been wiped out by then.

* * *

><p>I sit in my dark room with the computer in front of me. I moved it to the floor with D's help (I just don't want to use a chair, I get all fidgety) and hooked my laptop up to it so that they share files between themselves. I'm sitting off in the corner of the room so that the light of the screen shines on the pages that I'm reading.<p>

The FBI had it specially delivered because they are paranoid about hackers. I got two professional level hackers in the nearby vicinity and top-notch security. Why did they have to print it off? I won't understand them. I don't need to understand them. They're just my tools for the moment.

My computer blips and a window opens with Mr. Andrew's face on it. I don't even bother to move from my spot. The microphone with the voice modifier will have automatically turned itself on.

"Yes?"

_"Red, we've found nothing," _he says. I glance over at the screen. The agent looks exhausted; there are bags under his eyes, thick stubble covering half his face and he looks overall pale to the point that it could be sickly. They've been working hard, which I appreciate.

"Thank you. I'll send you more orders within the next few days. In the meantime, you and your subordinates get some rest. You look like the walking dead," I give a dry chuckle as he nods and the window closes. I go back to my reading.

* * *

><p>Wow, Naomi did a lot of missions, didn't she? She worked on cases, infiltration missions, spying, brute force, and logic. She was indeed a good agent and deserving of the title 'Misora Massacre'.<p>

I glance back at the computer again. When was the last time I left this room? At least twelve hours. With a groan I get to my feet and stumble over to the computer. The clock reads 3:42 PM … I guess I lost track of time.

I grab the five folders that I was looking at and head out into the living area. I put them down on the table, and then stretch out my back. The vertebrae give a couple pops before I flop down onto the couch.

I need something to pick me up. Mogi and Matsuda are constantly in the building, and Matsuda is usually down in the room we use the most …

I look over at the camera. "Hey, Matsu, can you get me some coffee?" I shout at it, and I just _know_ he hears me. They have microphones too, except in some of the rooms on this floor.

_"You're a real slave driver, aren't you?" _Vile chuckles. Where did he even learn that term? I chose to ignore him.

I pick up the next file in my pile and start flipping through it. It's a rather large file too, with its own folder and everything. It's kind of heavy. I just skim through it, not really interested in most of the boring stuff. That's when something catches my eye.

FAILED

What the … she had failed the mission? And here I was thinking that she was perfect or something, especially with how L speaks of her. I start looking over the report that Naomi was supposed to write up for this.

There's a knock at my door. "Come in!" I call out. Matsuda enters the room.

"Hey, got you some coffee!" he exclaims brightly, and I motion with my foot at a place on the table where he can put it. I'm too engrossed in the reading at the moment. He blinks before putting it down on the table and shuffling out. I can apologize to him later.

Naomi was told to shoot a child.

That's horrible. It had blown the entire case and cost the FBI much because she couldn't put a bullet through the kid's skull. He wasn't innocent, but she couldn't bring herself to kill a kid.

She'd been put on leave and probably would have ended up thrown out of the agency.

This … is something I can use. It's a traumatic experience. People like to kill themselves somewhere symbolic to them. I quickly fish the cell-phone from my pocket and dial the agent's number.

_"Red?"_

"Andrews, I've found something interesting. It seems nearly three years ago Naomi was on a case and was told to shoot a child. It obviously caused her some trauma, because she was unable to do it and failed the mission. She was put on leave after that. People like to commit suicide in places that are _symbolic_," I say quickly, putting the folder back down and bring the coffee cup to my mouth. I take a sip. Not bad actually …

_"So you want us to investigate all areas linked to that case?"_

"Yes, and be thorough," I command. I quickly tell him some of the details on the case, smiling all the while.

_"Understood, I'll contact you when we have completed this."_

"Great," I say and hang up without saying goodbye. I've become accustomed to just appearing and disappearing when contacting people, not wasting time on pleasantries.

After giving the orders, I put down this file and pick up the next. This one is rather thin, and doesn't have the FBI stamp on it … this is a separate file, next on the timeline. Frowning, I open up the file. The title on the page demands attention with big, bold letters.

LABB MURDER CASES

There's not much information on this case. The names of the victims are changed for privacy. The description of the crime scenes paint a gruesome picture, and it even depicts how the killer was caught. Also in the file is something on a private detective hired by the family of the third victim.

When I read the name, I go pale and nearly crumple the page in my hand.

_Rue Ryuzaki._

I quickly read his tiny bio. They have no idea of his real name or where he came from, but he's tied to the name 'Beyond Birthday'. This man was the actual killer. I lift my cup to my mouth and take a sip.

And then I read the description of his appearance before he lit himself on fire.

I spit out all coffee that I was about to drink. I think there was a rainbow in the spray.

Panicked, I take the file in hand and run out of the room. I don't bother to close the door on my way out. It takes me longer than I would have liked to get down there, as I was on one of the higher floors. The Task Force is assembled and working silently on the case, that is, until I come running down. They stare at me as I rush forward, opening the file to the wanted page.

"Explain to me why the description of the LABB Cases murderer," I slap the file down in front of L, "– describes you!"


	22. Alone

**A/N: **Bad news is that this is mostly filler. Good news is that I've finished writing the last chapter, and now I can't sleep because of it. Holy fuck I just looked at my clock, it's nearly two in the morning. Last time I looked it was midnight. Oh, how time flies. The other good news is that I'm posting another chapter tonight (this morning?), because I won't leave you with just filler.

-DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Two - <strong>_Alone  
><em>

_In the air,  
><em>_In the sky.  
><em>_Through the clouds,  
><em>_On the Horizon.  
><em>_Past the birds,  
><em>_Over the mountains.  
><em>_Towards the future,  
><em>_Free from our bonds.  
><em>

* * *

><p>L's gaze slowly moves from the screen that they had been glued to, to the page that I had unceremoniously dumped on the spot in front of him. He stares at the page for a few moments.<p>

Everybody else in the room is pretty much freaking out at my declaration. After all, it's not every day that you're accused of murder (Light doesn't count). I'm not accusing him of anything, I just find it highly suspicious that this 'Beyond Birthday' (which is obviously a fake name) shares the alias 'Rue Ryuzaki' with L, _and_ apparently they look the same.

"L's a murderer?!" Matsuda exclaims in shock.

"Quiet, Matsuda!" Aizawa scolds.

"Come _on_ Kurai, I mean Niiro, there are probably a _lot_ of people who look similar to him. It's just a coincidence," Light says, raising his eyebrows. I shake my head.

"It says he went by the alias 'Rue Ryuzaki' _and_ it even describes his habits!"

"It is no coincidence," L says finally, and we stare at him incredulously. "However, the person being described is not me."

Everybody in the room relaxes, except me, "Then who the hell _is _it?!"

"He is B."

Silence.

"B?"

L nods, "He is currently in a state prison in America. Somehow he was able to find out what I looked like and my habits. I tracked him down and using Naomi Misora we were able to prevent him from committing suicide," he quickly explained, still staring at the page. I blink. So this is the case that he had been working with her on?

To track down B, and put him behind bars.

Who was he really?

Why was he so important to L?

L probably won't answer those questions, so I don't ask.

But wait a moment, people kill themselves somewhere symbolic. This made her career.

The lack of information on the case … she could have found a spot to kill herself …

It's in LA, and that's a pretty big city.

"That's it!" I exclaim, and everybody looks at me. "This B person, he would need a place to lie low, to plot and experiment, hide his weapons and other things that could give him away. What if she found one of these places, and because he was already caught didn't report it?"

L looks at me, thinking it over, "It's possible."

"Killing herself in a place _only she _knows about is unrealistic. It's pretty damn likely that _at least one _other person knew about the spot she'd kill herself in. A killer's hideout would be extremely well hidden. Especially in this case …"

"Kurai, are you alright?" Light asks, trying to break me from my rambling. I'm muttering under my breath, so they can hardly hear me. Not only that, but I'm pacing back and forth.

"She was pretty damn thorough in her reports … except this one. She was working under L, and they only cared about catching him. It's symbolic to her, combined with the lack of information …"

"Kurai?" Light gets up from his seat and stops my pacing by putting his hands on my shoulders. I look up into his face and then over at Ryuzaki.

"I need a flight to LA as soon as you can get it for me," I say to him.

"What?!" Light exclaims.

L swivels his chair around so that he can look at us face-to face, "That can be arranged."

"You can't be planning to go alone!" Light protests, shaking my shoulders. I look at him with an annoyed expression.

"That _was_ my intention, Light."

"Then let me come along. I can speak English, so it wouldn't be too difficult for me," Light says with that angry glint in his eyes that makes my skin crawl. Of _course _he would want to come along. He's making it look like he's just a worried friend, but in reality he wants to come along to harm my progress. Damn. Both he and I know about the notebook, so he could act anyway he wanted to, and he would know that I wouldn't let anyone know. Dammit! Wait … to avoid this I would need …

… I would need a third party to tag along.

"That's hardly appropriate Light. I mean, you _are_ our top suspect," I say, not even moments after he finishes talking.

"I'm also your boyfriend. I don't want you to get hurt," I felt my eye twitch.

"Matsuda should come along with us then," I say, "He's a police officer to, so he's technically more qualified than you."

"Really?" Matsuda pipes up, looking excited. I nod.

I give a small smile, "You'd look the least suspicious."

L is studying me closely, thumb up to lip. Honestly, I bet he has an idea of why I asked Matsuda to come. You can't hide much from a person like that. He nods slowly, "I don't see a problem with that." He looks over at the Task Force. "Mr. Yagami, does your son have your permission to leave the country?"

"I don't have a problem with that if he wants to," Mr. Yagami says with a small sigh.

"It's settled then. I'll get you a flight for tomorrow, and I will arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport."

"Thanks," I smile. Light releases his grip on my shoulders, sighing.

I'm going back to America.

* * *

><p>A few hours later I'm busy packing for our trip. It's not actually taking me that long, since I don't have many things. It's just harder to fish them out of the most unlikely places imaginable. I have no idea how my socks got under the couch.<p>

Anyway, at the moment I'm in my bedroom folding clothes so that everything will fit well enough with the addition to a bunch of the case files. Disguised as paperwork of course, or maybe homework? I wasn't really paying attention when it was being explained to me.

So, the plan is for Light, Matsuda and I to pose as three friends going to meet relatives in America. We were going to have aliases, of course, but with our first names the same (except in Matsuda's case, we were going to switch his last name with his first) and our last names were to be invented. The reason behind this is that if we kept our first names, it would be less likely that we would mess up. Earlier today was a perfect example, Light had called me Kurai instead of Niiro.

L is having someone meet us at the airport, someone who he called 'Aiber'. That was obviously an alias as well. I'm not sure their connection, but I bet that I'll find out when we get to LA.

There's a short knock at the door, "Come in." I hear the door open and close behind me.

"Hey," Light says in greeting. I pause, and look back at him.

"There are no wiretaps or cameras in this room. You can say what you wish."

It's Showtime.

"Is this really what you want?" Light asks quietly, probably still suspicious about hidden microphones.

I hold his gaze, "Naomi's body needs to be found. I promised her family that I would find her."

He comes up to me and folds me into an embrace. I fight off the urge to punch him in the gut and let him hold me.

"Maybe she didn't _want _to be found," he hisses quietly. His fingers dig painfully into my skin.

That was definitely a threat.

* * *

><p>"Bye Kurai!" Kakushin whines, hugging me fiercely. I smile and peel her off of me.<p>

"I'll see you later. Don't blow anything up," I say, referring to that one time in third year Chemistry where she blew up the test tube. She laughs.

"You're never going to let me live that down!"

"We should go now," Light says. He has his hands in his pockets and is frequently checking his watch. He just wants to get on the plane.

"Yeah, we might miss the flight," Matsuda pipes up. I chuckle lightly.

"Nah, we won't miss it, but we _should _get going. Bye guys," I say to Kakushin and Makoto. We make our final farewells before heading off through security.

* * *

><p>The entire time I half expect someone to stop us and arrest us for using fake names and such forth. Another reason I suck at undercover work is how paranoid I'm getting. Seriously, Light ended up having to come up with a story about how I'm a nervous flyer just to get rid of all suspicion.<p>

Matsu tries to cheer me up, making jokes and otherwise being the most laid back out of the three of us. His optimism is contagious, and I find myself calming down eventually, although, I can only calm down completely when we are on the plane. On the other hand it's roughly an eleven and a half hour flight. Not only that but there's a seventeen hour time difference. We board the flight at 7:00 AM, and we'll land in America at around 2:00 AM.

So I'm a little grouchy, especially since I didn't sleep last night.

I know, it was a bad idea to do so, but I've been having trouble sleeping. My body has gotten into the pattern of staying awake for long periods of time (plus coffee). Kakushin keeps teasing me about my Panda-Eyes. My mind won't stop working. I can't tell what Light is going to do next. He's biding his time, or waiting for the right moment. _I need to know._

I'm all fidgety on the flight; I can't sit still. It's not because I'm nervous, it's just that I don't have anything to do. All my files are in my suitcase, so I can't do any reading up on them.

I am utterly, completely, mind-numbingly bored.

"Are you feeling okay?" Light asks me as I glance down the aisle yet again.

"I just need something to do."

Light thinks for a moment, "Don't you have any games on your IPod?"

"Uh … Chess?"

"Want to play a game?" Light asks. I give a small nod before taking out my IPod and setting the game up on the plastic fold-down tray.

"You go first," he says. Oh, a big mistake Light.

I win the first game, leaving him grimacing with annoyed eyes.

"That was luck," he defends himself, and we start another game.

He wins this time. I feel a little smirk spread across my face. He is so going down.

He wins again.

"I bet you cheated!" I laugh.

"It's your IPod!" he protests.

I win the next one, to my satisfaction.

I can't help but thinking of L and Light's Tennis match. Ryuzaki may play Tennis, but I'm not a sports kind of person, never was. This is the kind of game for me: Chess, checkers, and various card games.

Both Light and I are very competitive people. That much is obvious through this game. L used a Tennis match to see if Light is a competitive person, which he is. That's a Kira quality. Then again, we're competitive people too.

By sacrificing my Queen, it leaves his King wide open for my Rook to take him.

"Checkmate," I say with a grin. The screen flashes and digital confetti rains down, declaring my victory.

"Yeah, good game," he laughs.

Still trying to be a gentleman I see. I doubt you'll be this polite as soon as we're alone.

* * *

><p>Eventually I end up passing out due to sheer exhaustion and or boredom. Next thing I know Light's shaking my shoulder and telling me to wake up. I blink a few times to rid myself of sleep, and then realize that the plane has landed.<p>

We're in LA.

With a groan I get to my feet and collect my stuff. On the other side of the aisle Matsu is getting his stuff together.

"Long flight huh?" he asks me in Japanese.

"_Very_ long flight," I give a nod and sling my bag over my shoulder. There isn't much pushing as we get off the plane. My legs are all jelly from sitting like that, and I have to lean on Light just to stay upright. Matsu keeps laughing about it, but soon stops when I glare at him.

We go through security and collect our luggage, just like normal people. The agitation sets in again, especially being in this country. I had to hide my double citizenship as part of the cover story, so I feel a little jittery.

Normally I'm okay on airplanes. After my Mother passed away my Father and I would take a flight over to visit relatives, so traveling is nothing new to me. It's just I'm pretending to be someone I'm not. It makes me nervous. Also, my relatives are on the other side of the country. Come to think of it, I haven't talked to them since before my Father was admitted into the hospital.

I stamp that thought out before it leads me to remember more.

Light and I talk to the people in English. None of them really speak _any_ Japanese. Poor Matsu looks really confused, with all the English signs and such. So we have to constantly translate for him. It's not too bad though, he just kind of follows along like a puppy, even if he's apparently the oldest out of the three of us.

We come out of customs and into the main lobby, where there are people waiting for family or friends to exit the flight. I look around for a person with a sign with our names on them.

"Is that him?" Matsu asks, motioning to a guy towards the back of the crowd. We make our way over, and it really is him.

He's holding a small sign with our names on it. He's got slicked back blonde hair, a bit of stubble on his face, sun glasses on the top of his brow, a charming smile, and classy clothes. This is Aiber. I glance above his head quickly. His real name is Trierry Morello. Italian.

_"_Aiber?_" _I ask.

"Yeah, you must be working with Ryuzaki then, nice to meet you," he says in Japanese and holds out his hand. I shake it.

He shows us to his car, and we load our luggage into the back. We'll be staying in a hotel with him and Panda-Face said something about us being able to 'use his services'. I wonder what he can do.

I find this soon enough when we're all tucked safely into the car, away from prying eyes.

"Let me introduce myself for real," he says as we start moving. "I'm Aiber, a professional con-man. I've been working under L for several years now."

I give a small laugh, "A con-man? I can't say I didn't expect something like this."

"You work outside the law?" Light asks.

"Yeah, I've never been caught though," he flashes us a smug grin.

"Then why work for L?" Matsuda asks.

"It suits my purposes," Aiber shrugs.

"Aiber, you know about the case that I'm investigating, don't you?" I ask him.

"Yeah actually, never actually saw the guy or Naomi, but I was in the area." Huh, cool. I smile.

"So you can direct me to places important to the case?"

"Yes I can. You're very to the point, Detective Red, correct?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Alright, I have what I want.

It's time to get to work.


	23. The Hunt

**A/N: **I'm really a jerk to my characters sometimes. I don't think that's going to change. 6_6' I refuse to appologize.

Anyway, just rememer that speech in italics is either Shinigami voice, electronically altered, from another side of electronic communication, and now when someone's speaking in English.

-DW**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Three - <strong>_The Hunt  
><em>

_Bloodhound with his nose to the ground.  
>L<em>_ooks for the prey, in chill autumn morning.  
><em>_Lift's his head, lets out a howl.  
><em>_He's found the trail.  
><em>

* * *

><p>I flop down on the hotel bed with a sigh. My suitcase is off to the side and my jacket discarded on a chair. I was a little miffed when I found out that I would be sharing a room with Light. They only had three rooms available.<p>

"Stay on your side of the bed Light," I say sleepily, ready to doze off again. A few hours of napping on the plane weren't nearly enough to fully recharge me. At the moment my body needs sleep above all else. I intend to grant its desire.

I don't even bother to get changed or unpack. I'll do that later.

"Can I ask you a question?" I open one eye to see Light standing at the foot of the bed with his jacket folded over one arm and the other hand on his hip.

"What is it?" I close my eyes again.

"I'm just wondering, but how did you ever come to learn of … you know."

I roll my eyes from under my eyelids. I don't want to answer that question.

"I just found it."

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

"Why is it so important to you?"

"You traded for your eyes, why would you give up half of your life like that?" My eyes snap open, and my brow crinkles in confusion. Is that the cost of Shinigami eyes? That's horrible. My father had given up half of his life because he thought that these eyes could help me …

Even now, the Shinigami is chuckling at me, and I scowl.

"I didn't know that was the price," I growl.

"You didn't?" Light blinks in surprise.

I roll over, grabbing the pillow and hiding behind it. "I want to sleep Light. No more questions," I say though the fabric.

"How could you trade without knowing the price?" Light asks in confusion. I feel the bed shift as he sits down on the edge of it.

"_I_ wasn't the one who traded for them," I grumble, but I know that it doesn't go unnoticed.

He doesn't say anything though, to my relief.

* * *

><p>In the morning I take a nice long shower and change into some new clothes. I'm not going to dress into all black and sneak around like people in comics or cliché movies. It's not my style. I'm going to look perfectly normal.<p>

After that, while Light's showering, I take out my phone and dial Mr. Andrews' number.

_"Yes Detective?" _he answers, and I smile.

"Andrews, how's your search going?"

_"Not too good … still haven't found anything."_

"I need you to come to LA as soon as you finish up your search."

_"Found another possibility?"_

"Oh yeah, and I have a good feeling about this one too."

_"Alright then," _he says, and I hang up.

Light comes out of the bathroom toweling his hair and buttoning up his shirt. I'm just sitting in the chair in the corner. He looks over at me, heads over across the room towards his suitcase, then pauses and does a double-take.

"Uh …" he begins.

"What?"

"Are you ..?"

"Spit it out Light," I roll my eyes at him and stuff my phone in my pocket.

"Are you wearing one of Ryuzaki's shirts?

I looked down at myself, and then back up at Light. "Not his anymore," I laugh mischievously.

"Why?"

"He likes them so much, so I wondered why, and he has around _fifteen_ of them so I thought he wouldn't miss one. Besides, it actually _is_ really comfortable," I say, standing up. He wears one every single day so there must have been something special about them. I found out what that special thing was: they are pretty damn comfy.

I'm also pretty sure he knows that I stole one. I don't wear it when he's around, but the morning after I stole it (back when we were hotel-jumping) I swear I saw him smirking at me. So I think I'm in the clear, but the thought still makes me laugh.

The shirt's a little big for me … okay, a little more than a bit. He's pretty damn skinny, but this shirt is pretty roomy on him, not to mention that he's taller than me. So the sleeves are too long for my arms and go past my fingers, while the rest looks like I could fit a cat in there and people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But damn is it comfy, so I'm keeping it.

After Light gets ready (I think he takes _way_ too long with his hair) he goes and fetches Matsuda and Aiber for me. When they walk in, Matsuda blinks at me a few times before grinning goofily and standing off to the side. Aiber and Light stand a little ways away from me as I fiddle around with the case file.

"Aiber, you worked on this Case … didn't you?" He doesn't look surprised. I had hinted at it when we came along (but never mentioned that he was _on_ the case) and he had answered the way that I expected. Aiber was on the case itself, under L, probably as back-up if something went wrong, but still on the case. He'll have more insight on it than I will.

"Yes I was."

"Good. I want to start by scouting the area of the first murder scene," I say, flipping open the file to the page on it.

* * *

><p>We head to the old scene of the crime, Insist St, Hollywood. I remember when I was little how my classmates would talk about their favorite celebrities or how one day they would make it to Hollywood. In fact, I probably would have felt honored if I wasn't here to find a body.<p>

It's funny how the world works.

The four of us casually make our way down the street, looking around for places where you could possibly kill yourself without being found.

During our rounds of the street, I have a thought. What if Light had written down that the body would be unrecognizable? That would put a nice big hole in my plans. I'll have to look into the morgue and the LAPD to see if they have an unidentified body …

Just in case.

The area looks pretty normal. Houses, backyards, people going about their everyday business. We get a few dirty looks from some people. I mean, who _wouldn't_ be suspicious of us. I'm dressed pretty oddly (don't tell Ryuzaki I said that) and Aiber is older than us. Matsuda just looks like an idiot and Light … is Light. I even see a couple of girls fawning over him.

Go ahead and have him. Fucking lunatics.

I frown as we make our way out of there. I doubt a killer would buy a house to hide his things if he were to kill himself in the process … It's just not practical. From what I gathered, B was a very thorough person and rather practical. There were absolutely no fingerprints, a crossword only a genius could solve, even burning his own body past recognition. Rather painful, but practical in his situation.

This is a very unlikely area where he would hide himself.

* * *

><p>As soon as we return, I have the FBI connect me to the LAPD through my phone. I flip the voice switch to on and have Light go off with Matsuda.<p>

_"So, you're Detective Red?" _a voice asks me in English, presumable the director of the LAPD.

_"That I am," _I reply in the same language.

_ "May I ask what business you have with us?"_

_"I need to know if there is an unidentified body in the morgue, presumably a young woman in her mid-twenties."_

_"Any reason behind this?"_

_"Yes." _Man, I love messing with people like this, just knocking them down a few pegs.

_ "Erm …"_

_"Thank you very much, director. Call this number when you have the information I need," _I hang up, smirking in self-satisfaction.

* * *

><p>Two days later we've checked out the other two areas where murders occurred. As I went down the list, the probability that a hideout would be in that area increased. I still have the place where there was an attempted suicide, but I will leave that for last. In the meantime the FBI and Mr. Andrews should be arriving any hour. Their search was fruitless.<p>

At the moment I'm just relaxing in the hotel room with Light. I'm reading recent world news on my laptop, while Light looks like he's deep in thought.

"Kurai?" Light asks suddenly, and I look over at him.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering … What is Ryuzaki to you?" he says, completely serious yet also curious from his tone. I wonder what that's supposed to mean …

"Um … Well, I guess he is my friend," I gave a small smile, "We understand each other in a way that I can't fully explain …" I shrug. "Why'd you ask?"

"Well, you just always seem so open with him, and you're not afraid to give him your opinion," I smile, remembering the night we first met. I told him outright that I thought his bluff on bringing investigators to Japan was stupid. We didn't even get a reaction from Kira, as I expected.

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"Can I ask you another question?"

"… Alright."

"Why'd you move out of your parent's place and in with Ryuzaki?"

I freeze up and stare down at the floor, "My parents are _dead_, Light."

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"How did it happen?" I glance up at him, feeling slightly nauseous. My stomach is churning, and I don't really want to answer him.

"I don't want to talk about it," I mumble, before returning to look at my computer screen. I follow the words, but I don't take them in anymore.

My Mother had been murdered.

My Father had committed suicide.

Both had died by his hands.

* * *

><p>"Andrews, good to hear from you," I say, false cheer in my voice.<p>

_"You asked us to come to LA, well, here we are."_

"Wonderful. I'll be sending you some instructions for places to examine shortly." I say and hang up. I then dial in a new number.

_"Detective Red."_

_"Mr. Director. Have you found anything yet?"_

_"No, there isn't an unidentified body that matches your description. I was going to call later but-"_

_"No need to explain. I am just calling to let you know that I am having some FBI agents snoop around the city in search of something. Please do not interfere."_

_"What are you looking for?"_

_"A body of course."_

I hang up.

* * *

><p>Dammit, I can't find anything! I was certain that this was the city that I would find her. I can almost <em>taste<em> victory.

Now where the hell is she?!

I have just woken up from a much-needed nap (at 4:00 AM). It's around six now, and I'm just waiting for Light to wake up. He's deep in sleep, breathing heavily from beside me. It's dark outside, the only light seeping into the room from streetlamps and the passing cars.

How could a killer sleep easily at night, knowing that they had ended so many lives? It doesn't matter that they are criminals; they're not evil, just misguided, lost, mistaken.

The justice system isn't perfect, but that's because it's made by imperfect people. We're all different, unique. What gives anyone the right to end a life? We strive for the good, the greater good, healing and hoping. We can never guarantee complete safety, but we can try to protect people.

That means _everyone._

I hear Light shift from beside me. He's waking up.

Light, how could you even think that killing the bad people in the world is the answer?

You're just as bad as them now.

"Auh … you're still awake?" Light mumbles sleepily.

"I had _some_ sleep," I reply quietly.

The bed shifts and I glance over to find Light staring at me. I stare right back. A small grin spreads across his face, and I frown in return.

"You know … It's odd," he says, fully awake now.

"Hm?"

"We've been dating for at least two and a half months … but you haven't let me kiss you." Not this again. I _told _him that I'm not one of those people. I roll my eyes and look away to stare at the ceiling. Again, I regret agreeing to this.

"You did … once."

"I apologized for that. Why won't you believe me?"

"Just drop it." He chuckles and reaches over to brush some of the hair out of my eyes. I instinctively flinch, but he ignores it and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'm sorry about your parents. It must have been awful for you," he says softly.

_Fire, smoke, bells, burning, death._

I shudder. "I had to watch her die … I had to watch as she was _murdered_." A single tear rolls down my cheek and I clench my fists. Light wipes it away with his fingers, and I glare at him. "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"You know very well. Cut it out," I move to get off the bed, legs swinging over the edge. Light comes up from behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and puts his chin on my shoulder.

"Murdered?"

"By Kira," I hiss.

"She was killed by _your_ notebook," he states, and I tense up. "Have you ever used it?"

"… Once."

I turn my head and raise my arm so that I can pry him off of me when I am interrupted.

He's kissing me.

Again.

This isn't like last time, where he was driven by urgency to capture a hold on me. It's slower … My whole body has frozen, and I can't even move.

Just when my lungs are starting to burn, he draws back and presses his forehead to mine. Panting slightly, I stare into his brown eyes. I can't find anything in them. They're unreadable.

"I truly am sorry for your loss," he whispers, and smiles. I scowl, and shove him off of me before heading off towards the bathroom. I need a shower to get rid of this scummy feeling.

_ Slam!_


	24. Bones

**Chapter Twenty-Four - **_Bones  
><em>

_ The bones forgotten.  
><em>_They sleep beneath the cold earth.  
><em>_Their stories unheard._

* * *

><p><em>"We haven't found anything yet,"<em> Andrews' tired voice tells me. I nod, and then remember that he can't see me.

"I understand, thank you. I'll let you know if I need anything else," I take the phone away from my face and press 'end call'.

I thought that I would have found her by now. I even expected that I would at least find B's hideout. I haven't found either, and it's getting on my nerves. With a sigh, I get to my feet and move to the little coffee-maker on the desk next to the small television in our hotel room. I watch it silently as it brews a new pot.

With a small groan, Light wakes and sits on the edge of the bed. He rubs his eyes before getting off the bed and stumbling towards the bathroom. I hear the water being turned on.

What am I doing wrong? There must be something I missed. I've looked everywhere that has come to mind for a killer to hide. There's been nothing, absolutely nothing.

So what have I missed?

Scowling, I turn the coffeemaker off and pour myself a fresh cup.

It's early morning, three days after we checked out the last of the sites, the place where B had attempted suicide.

* * *

><p><em>Pasadena Valley, an apartment complex stood tall and proud in the daylight, showing no signs of the horrors that had occurred within. Kurai looked at the building, a small frown tugging at her lips. <em>

_ This did not seem like a place where a killer would hide. No, in fact it seemed like the opposite. It wasn't well hidden, and the busy streets teemed with people. _

_ "Do you think this could be the place?" a nervous looking Matsuda asked. Kurai shook her head._

_ "No, I don't think so. I should have someone look in to it anyway."_

_ "What a shame," Aiber chuckled.  
><em>

* * *

><p>It <em>is<em> a shame. I had Andrews' team look into the area (no-doubt scaring a couple of citizens at the same time), and from the report I just received, he hasn't found anything yet.

I take a sip from the black coffee, feeling it spread through my stomach.

What have I missed …?

Light comes out of the bathroom, towel tied around his waist. He goes and fetches some clothes from his bag before returning to the bathroom to change.

There must be something …

This is just like last time. When I was looking for a lead, I was at a dead-end because I couldn't think like Kira.

Am I looking at this the wrong way? Maybe …

I need to think like B.

A smile spreads across my face. That's the key to detective work. Not thinking like the majority. When you're dealing with crafty and intelligent people, you have to be able to get inside their heads, to think like them, to _be_ them.

Took me quite a while to figure that out. Brains are no good if you can't apply them correctly to a situation.

I go and sit in the chair, slowly sipping at my drink. If I were B …

Firstly, it's pretty obvious that he has something against L. What that is, I have no clue. He even went to the extent to take his appearance. He wanted to tarnish his name by making the perfect case, one that he couldn't solve.

B is a practical person, maybe OCD and insane, but practical. If he wanted to kill himself before the end of the case, surely he would care where his belongings were before he passed, even if those belongings had helped him kill. Knives, guns, weapons or things to kill the victims are of little consequence to the police if they already know how the victim died. The string he used to lock the doors probably would have been burned in some random location, not kept with his stash.

If the weapons were of no consequence, then he wouldn't care if someone found them. Though he would want to hide while still alive, probably somewhere that a person wouldn't expect to find a person hiding, somewhere that a person would look last.

No, that's too simple. Maybe … a mixture of the two? Somewhere you wouldn't expect him, yet still easy to find. I blink.

Idea!

I quickly flip open my laptop and bring up some satellite images of LA.

Minutes later Light comes out of the bathroom fully clothed. He blinks at me, face behind computer and fingers typing. I'm totally engrossed in what I'm doing.

"Find something?" he asks.

"That's it!" I shout again, and grin wildly. I look up at Light, "I think I might have found a possible place. We can't wait for the FBI; get ready to go in ten minutes!"

"What?" Light blinks. I get up, shutting the lid to my laptop and head towards the door. I rush down the hall to Matsuda's room.

"Matsu, are you awake?" I shout through the door. I wait a minute before knocking loudly. This time there's some shuffling before a tired looking Matsuda opens the door.

"Oh, hey Kurai, what's up?"

"Be ready to go in ten minutes," I say, and then leave just as quickly as I came to go get Aiber.

As soon as I get back to the room, I call Andrews.

_"What's going on? Something happen?"_

"Yeah, I got a brilliant idea. I need you to-" I quickly tell him to hook me up with the landowner to the place I want to go. He manages to get me connected when Matsu and Aiber get here. I have a quick conversation with the landowner.

I learn a few things. Firstly, they own twenty storage warehouses that can be rented out to different people. Secondly, there were no suspicious people renting out one of them during the time of the LABB Murder Cases. Thirdly, I hear exactly what I want to hear.

I end the call and am just beaming when I look up at the others, "We might have just found what we wanted to find."

* * *

><p>Aiber drives us to the site. The landowner gave me permission to go snooping about, and unlocked the warehouse in question just five minutes before we arrived, as I planned it.<p>

We head into the warehouse, and I am greeted by metal rafters, tall towers of boxes and a strong scent of gasoline.

"Auh, this place smells horrible," Matsu says, making a face.

"I can second that," Light agrees, and I just nod.

"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Aiber asks.

"Naomi, what else?" I reply, smiling lightly. I start looking around the warehouse, just looking for tiny details. I have an extremely good feeling about this place. Well, when I say good feeling I actually mean I have the feeling that we're going to find Naomi. A person dying is never a good thing.

We all spread out and wander aimlessly for a few minutes. That's when I see what I was looking for. "Found it!" I shout, and the others run towards the sound of my voice. We gather in front of a large iron door.

Behind that door …

* * *

><p>"One of the doors in Warehouse 13 won't open. We've looked for the keys, but they've just disappeared. I've been meaning to call a locksmith … just haven't gotten around to it yet," <em>The landowner gave a well-meaning chuckle through the phone.<em>

_"What's behind the door?"_

"Just a small back room, used to be an office, but it can be used as extra storage. All the warehouses have one. They're identical."

* * *

><p>"Aiber, can you pick the lock for me? Matsuda, go stand by the door and keep watch," I instruct. Matsuda nods and heads off to the entranceway, while Aiber reaches into his pocket for something.<p>

"What can I do?" Light asks.

"I don't know," I shrug. Light gives a small sigh and leans against the wall a few feet from the door. Aiber pulls out a small, thin knife from his pocket (which is completely awesome) and kneels down in front of the door.

There are a few minutes of clicking coming from the lock. I should put 'learn how to pick a lock' on my to-do list, with as many different items as possible.

"Almost there …" I hear Aiber whisper. Then there's a very loud click. "Done," he stands up, putting the knife back in its place in his pocket.

I stare at the door for a few seconds and take a deep breath.

"Well, let's see if our search was successful," I say, and chuckle lightly. I press on the door, it opens slowly.

The stench of death fills the air.

I turn away, and with wobbly knees head off to the side. Light has to catch me so that I don't fall over. My stomach constricts and I feel nauseous.

"I … I need to get out of here," I mumble. Light leads me outside, where I put my back to the wall and slide down to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Matsu asks, coming over to stand by me.

"Warehouse thirteen. One plus three looks like B. There's a locked door. It's a place that nobody would look, except if you think like Beyond Birthday. Apparently Naomi could think like him, that's how she solved the LABB Case. She found Beyond's hideout all right," I mumble to myself before I look up at them.

"Are you okay?" Matsu asks.

With a scratchy and strained voice I say, "We found her."

* * *

><p>I make a quick call to the FBI and let them know that I've found her. Andrews gives a cry of shock and started questioning me. I tell him that I want him to come and pick up the body to bring it to the Forensics Lab. I'm 100% sure that this body is Naomi, but they still need to run a DNA test to prove it. I also tell him that he'll meet Aiber who is working under me at the moment. After that, Light and Matsu support me from either side and help me over to the car parked outside the lot.<p>

I relax in the backseat, trying to get the image out of my head. It's been burned into my memory it seems. It's one thing to look at pictures … It's another to see it up close. Sick.

Light doesn't see the body, and he makes some valid excuses not to. I think he just doesn't want to see the consequences of his actions, and I stare at him through narrowed eyes.

Shortly after, a large black van rolls up behind us. The windows of our car are tinted, and we're in the backseat. If they tried to look inside, I doubt they would be able to see, which is good for me.

I watch Andrews and a few other agents climb out and look towards the warehouses. I see one man eyeing our car, but his attention is drawn to Aiber strolling up to them. I can't hear them speak, but I have a pretty good idea of what they're saying. Aiber specializes in being able to charm any man or woman.

He leads them inside and shortly after they come back out. I take out my phone and dial the agent's number.

"What are you doing?" Matsuda asks, and I bring a finger to my lips to show him to be quiet. It works.

_"Red, I can't thank you enough for finding her."_

"No, I should be the one thanking you. I need a DNA test run on her, for evidence's sake. I'll probably need your assistance a little while longer, as I want to gather evidence of her murder."

_"You still think it's murder? I mean, it certainly looks like a suicide."_

"I don't think it's a murder, I know so."

_"Oh, I just remembered something that I forgot to tell you …"_

"What is it?"

_"Raye proposed to Naomi in LA a year and a half after she solved the LABB Murder Cases."_

Oh, that's interesting. "Thank you, Agent Andrews. It's been good working with you," I say, and hang up. I look out the window and see him glance over at the car, but he doesn't make a move towards it.

* * *

><p>I'm packing for the return flight to Japan (eleven and a half hours … damn) when I get another phone call. I take my phone from my pocket and answer it.<p>

"Hello?"

_"Red. We just got the tests from the Lab back. It really was Naomi."_

"Thank you," I say, and this time he's the one to hang up. I give a sigh and run my hand through my hair. Light's off having lunch with Matsuda, so I'm the only one in the room.

_"Well, you finally found her," _Vile chuckles. I look over at the Shinigami and smile sadly.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

_"I'm just curious, but how did you know that she would find that guy's hideout?" _He asks.

"It's simple, she likes doing things her own way, and will take challenges head on. Her curiousness got to her. The case wasn't really over. So she went looking, and found his hideout, probably wondered who he really was."

_"Do you wonder who that guy was?"_

"Yes, yes I do. I just don't think Panda-Face would tell me if I asked."

_"Well Kurai, you sure are fun to be around."_

"Why do you say that?"

_"Interesting things seem to be drawn to you. It's fun that way."_

I smile and give a small laugh, "If I thought every 'interesting' thing in my life was fun, there'd be no end to my troubles."

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

I laugh.

* * *

><p>When we touchdown in Tokyo and are safely outside the airport, I quickly call Ryuzaki.<p>

_"Ah, Niiro, good to hear from you, how was your trip?"_

"I found her," I say quietly into the phone.

_"Is that so …"_

"Yeah, Warehouse thirteen, in a locked room," I say and hang up again. My shoulders slump as I give a small sigh.

I did it.

* * *

><p>Ryuzaki disconnected the call, and turned his chair around to look at the Task Force. The three members assembled blinked at him with questioning gazes.<p>

"Niiro found Naomi Misora's body in Los Angeles," the detective said. The other three men in the room blinked and collectively gasped. A girl, a young woman no older than eighteen, had found the body of Naomi Misora, the body that no one else could find, the person who had disappeared without a trace.

How could a kid do all that?

_Maybe we underestimated her _… Aizawa thought to himself.

* * *

><p>Mr. Misora received a phone call. The older man reached over, picked up the still ringing phone and brought it to his ear.<p>

"Hello?"

_"Mr. Misora, this is Red," _the voice of a young woman answered. He recognized this voice to belong to the detective in question. The young woman who had knocked on their door and had requested information on his daughter's past.

"Red …" he said slowly. He hadn't been expecting a call from the dark detective. She had presented herself as a no-nonsense sort of person who was down to earth and knew how to get things done, yet she was also mysterious and upfront. So if she was calling, then there must have been news.

_"I've found your daughter."_

"What?" Mr. Misora blinked in shock. His wife came out of the kitchen from where she had been preparing dinner.

_"She died by hanging herself, in a warehouse in LA."_

"So it really was …"

_"No. The case has not ended yet. I am currently investigating the circumstances around her disappearance. I will bring her killer to justice, I promise you that."_

"Thank you," Mr. Misora said quietly as the line went dead. He laid his head back in his chair as his chest constricted. _His daughter was dead _… Tears rolled down his face as his wife came over to him and embraced him in their grief.


	25. Nightmare

**Chapter Twenty-Five - **_Nightmare  
><em>

_ The Moon watched the earth,  
><em>_When its inhabitants slept.  
><em>_Grin of a Cheshire cat,  
><em>_Only seen by the insomniac._

_ It guards the people, while the sun rests.  
><em>_Constantly chasing after its love.  
><em>_Revolving around her,  
><em>_Always behind._

_ People of the earth,  
><em>_Grateful for the moon's light.  
><em>_Or else the darkness of the night,  
><em>_Would be more like a nightmare._

* * *

><p>"Andrews, there's one last thing that I need you to do for me."<p>

_"What is it?"_

"Investigate and interrogate any people who were on the trains the day that Penbar died. Ask them if they saw someone with him, or if there was anyone in the doorway when he died. And if you find a ticket belonging to someone named 'Light Yagami', don't approach him, just let me know."

_"Sure … that's going to take a while."_

"Which is exactly why I need your help."

* * *

><p>I open my eyes slightly to see the hallway moving backwards …<p>

Hold on, backwards?

I blink again, trying to get the sleepiness out of my eyes. It doesn't really work, I still want to lose consciousness, but at least I can see properly now. I look around slightly, and realized that this is my hallway …

Am I being brought to my room?

I look sideways to see fluffy black hair, and I give a small chuckle, "Hey Panda-Face, what time is it?"

The detective looks sideways at me, face impassive, "5:01 AM."

"Huh …"

"I'm surprised that you were able to stay awake so long. Sixty nine hours is a very long time."

"Says the chronic insomniac."

I managed to get a small smile out of him as we approached my door, "I can go from here, thanks," I say, stifling a yawn. He lets me down, but I still need to hold onto his arm for support.

"Will you be alright?" he asks.

"Yeah, just fine," I nod sleepily, and then look back up at him. His head is tilted to the side and he's staring at me like I'm an interesting new toy. "Hey, random question," I say. His silence acts as the go-ahead. "Why did you become a detective?" I ask with my eyes on him. The question seems to catch him off-guard, so he blinks a few times before answering.

"I was bored."

"Bored?" I raise my eyebrows. "That doesn't seem like a very good reason. No heroic cause? No fighting an impossible battle for world peace?"

The detective shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets. "Cases interest me; give me something to think about."

"Interest you?" That's something that Vile would say.

"Yes, though, the most interesting thing that I've encountered would have to be you."

"Me?" I chuckle dryly, "Why would that be?"

"I can never figure you out. As soon as I think that I know who you really are, you do something to throw my theory off. You're an enigma; a puzzle that I cannot solve."

"I guess I should feel honored," I give a small smile.

"Do you really wish to work on the Kira Case?"

"I think we've already addressed that. You're not taking me off this case. I'm sticking around until it's solved. Why do you ask?"

"It's just … I think I would be sad if you were to die … I find that you are … my first friend," he says awkwardly, as though he had trouble admitting it. I smile at him as he looks down at his toes.

"That would make two of us," he looks up at my smiling face and I lean forward and wrap my arms around his middle in a hug. He's a little startled, but he soon relaxes and even returns the hug. "I'm not going anywhere just yet, you don't have to worry about me," I mumble into the fabric of his shirt.

I pull back, smiling at him. He returns the smile, probably the first authentic one in a long time. I then give a loud yawn, and I can see the amusement shining from those liquid black eyes. "I guess I need to sleep. Goodnight Panda-Face," I say, and head into my room.

* * *

><p>I make my way quickly into the parking lot, hoping to catch him in time.<p>

I had been looking into the disappearance of Naomi Misora and Raye Penbar's murder when I remembered something that Ryuzaki said about a bus-jacking in December. There is a possibility that Penbar was on that bus.

So I'm looking into it.

I have a few photographs that I managed to snag of Naomi and Raye to show him. I have two things that I want to know. Firstly, was Raye on that bus? Secondly, did Naomi approach the bus driver?

I quickly make my way through the lot and see a middle-aged man standing in front of a bus. I had contacted him and requested to meet him. He doesn't know that I'm a detective though.

"Oh, hello, you must be Niiro," The bus driver greets me with a friendly smile and holds out his hand. I shake it.

"Yeah, that's me. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about the bus-jacking?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Can you describe what happened?"

The bus driver quickly explains to me that at a bus stop, a shady looking man had boarded. As soon as they had begun moving, the man had pulled out a gun from his pocket. There had been an immediate panic.

After that, he requested that Space-Land had been called, and he demanded all their money be brought to him, or else he would kill all the passengers.

As they moved towards Space-Land, the man would wave his gun around and guard his hostages. After a few rounds, he got mad at a kid. When he came back to the front though, he turned around and started shouting about a man in the back. Another man in the back of the bus had shouted for them all to get down. The criminal had emptied his gun at his hallucination.

The criminal then demanded that he get off the bus, the driver had pulled them to a stop, and he had jumped out of the bus, where he was hit by a car.

I pull out a picture of Raye and show it to the bus-driver, "Is this the man who told you to duck?"

"You can't easily forget someone like that," the man chuckled, and I pulled out a picture of Naomi.

"What about this woman?"

The bus driver took the picture from me and examined it, "Yeah, actually, she was asking about him too. Wanted to know I could remember any of the other passengers …" He shook his head, "Can't remember for the life of me."

"Thank you very much. You've been a great help," I say, smiling as I take the photo from him.

On my way out of the place I turn off the hidden microphone I had on me.

* * *

><p>Tong!<p>

_Fire … It's so hot … It hurts … Make it stop._

Tong!

_Mommy … Mommy wake up. We have to get out of here. It hurts._

Tong!

_Please … Wake up. You need to wake up!_

Tong!

_The fire! It's going to burn us!_

Tong!

_ Mommy?_

Tong!

_Mommy!_

Tong!

* * *

><p>I jerk awake, panting like a dog. I'm all sweaty and jittery. With shaking hands, I rub my eyes and look around. Damn … I fell asleep while working again. I take the laptop off my lap and move it to the coffee table before standing up and heading towards the main kitchen.<p>

Kind of how they have those huge kitchens in the basement of hotels; we have one here. Every suite also has one, but there's a large one down here. The fridge is mainly filled with sweet foods and fruit, but that's not what I need right now.

I flick on the coffee machine and wait for a new pot to be made.

Why do I keep dreaming about that night? It's behind me; I shouldn't have to relive it over and over again in my sleep. Could this be one of the reasons that I'm slowly becoming an insomniac too? It seems childish, but it's far more terrifying when you've had to live that nightmare.

You know that it's real.

My father caused it … and the coward ran – killed himself after that, left me all alone.

Tears roll down my face unchecked as I pour myself a cup and sit down at one of the stools next to the island in the middle of the room. I stare down into my cup, hair shadowing my face.

That bastard … what could have possibly gone through his mind?

I know that I should probably blame Vile for my mother's death. He twisted the strings for his own personal goals, to keep himself occupied; he didn't care if she died. He's a Shinigami, so he doesn't care about human lives, he only cares about himself.

My father … oh, he was too stupid to realize that a Shinigami can't be trusted. He was a fool. I can't find it in myself to forgive him. He doesn't deserve that much from me.

"Niiro?" a voice interrupts my thoughts, and I slowly look up from where I had been staring into my drink. I see L standing in the doorway, blinking owlishly at me. Not trusting my own voice, I just look down at the mug again.

The detective enters the room and takes a seat on the opposite side of the Island. "Are you alright? You left the room so quickly," he asks, bringing his thumb to his mouth.

"Not really," I say quietly.

"What are you thinking right now?"

"That Panda-Face should mind his own business," he doesn't reply, just stares at me, right through me. It's like he's staring into my soul, and it feels weird, uncomfortable. "My parents," I give a small sigh.

"What about them?"

"I keep having a recurring dream … about the night my Mother was murdered." The detective blinks at me, and if he had eyebrows they probably would have been raised. Of course he read what he could on me when he found out my identity. That must have included the death of my parents, and the cause of their deaths. On the official documents, her death was from a car wreck. She wasn't murdered.

I know better than that though.

"This causes you … much pain," Ryuzaki says. I just nod.

"And then my Father …" I grit my teeth, "The bastard had to go and kill himself and leave me alone." I look down at my mug and then take a sip.

I'm sure that the scrawny detective was able to sense some of the inner turmoil within me, because he just stares at me for a few minutes as I calmed down before saying, "You shouldn't dwell on the past. It's unhealthy. You need to look to the future instead. The past is behind you."

I look up at him and smile lightly, "And since when did you become the philosopher?"

"I was told that many years ago by someone very important to me."

* * *

><p>If Naomi went looking for the bus driver … That would have probably meant that she came to the conclusion that Kira can kill in other ways. Raye probably told her about the bus-jacking.<p>

The criminal must have somehow touched a part of the Death Note, maybe just a shred of it. When he turned around he saw Kira's Shinigami. Shot at it. Jumped off the bus where he was hit by a car.

Raye Penbar. He was trailing Light at that time. Light must have been on the bus to Space-Land. He might have 'dropped' the shred of the Death Note. Maybe he pretended to plan to take on the criminal? Penbar was an FBI agent, so he was in situations like that often, and would morally object to the plan. Light could come up with excuses not to trust him … Penbar would show him his FBI ID.

Where should I start?

Firstly, I'm not focusing on Penbar, but I should go back to him later. I'm focusing on Naomi at the moment. If she had come to a similar conclusion, she would want to see the Task Force. She wasn't an agent at the time … just a civilian.

Police Station, she would go there.

The people she would talk to would be the guys behind the desk. I should talk to them.

* * *

><p>"Do you know why you're here?" I ask through the microphone. I have the two people that were at the desk during December and January sitting in chairs where I can see them. They can only hear my voice.<p>

_"Not really," _one of the people say.

"I need to know if you saw this woman at one point," I say, and the computer should show them a picture of Naomi.

_"Uh, yeah, she came in asking for the Japanese Task Force."_

I give a grin. Perfect.

"Also, did you happen to see Light Yagami the same day?"

_"Yeah."_

"Explain to me what happened."

The desk men quickly explain how she had come in demanding to speak with the Task Force, and that she had vital information for the Case. Light walked in during the middle of this. He was dropping off a change of clothes for his father. When he heard that Naomi had information, he was kind and complimented her. He said that his father was leading the Task Force and that as soon as he called back, she could talk to him.

They proceeded to leave the building together.

"What was the date?" I ask.

_"Uh, January 1, I think." _

That's the day that I met with L …

* * *

><p>I repeatedly hit my head against the table in front of me. Where to go next …<p>

I can't think properly.

I'm not hungry … I had a good sleep. Now what?

"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea," Light says to me as I continued to hit my head against the coffee table.

"Why … not?"

"You're going to hurt your head," Light laughs softly, coming over to my spot. He stops me from hitting my head again. "Why are you hitting your head?"

"I can't think dammit!" I shout a little loudly. The other members of the Task Force glance over at me, some of them amused and some of them annoyed.

Ryuzaki gets up from where he's sitting and snatches my cup of coffee that was sitting abandoned on the table. "Hey, that's mine!" I say to him, but he just leaves the room with it. After a minute or two he comes back in with a new steaming mug.

"Try it," he says and holds it out to me. I take the mug and eye it curiously. It looks kind of normal. A bit lighter than usual … I swirl it around and my eyes widen as white particles float around.

"You filled it with sugar!" I growl at him.

"Just try it," he says in his normal deadpan.

"Fine," I grumble, and bring it up to my lips. I take a sip …

Shivers travel up and down my spine, and I swear that my eyes grow to twice their size. "Whoa," I look down at the innocent looking cup. "That sure gives you energy … No wonder you like sugar so much!" I laugh. Ryuzaki just studies me as I pause.

"Wait a moment … I got it!"

* * *

><p><strong>Omake<strong>

"I think she fell asleep," Light said, turning back to look at the girl at the couch.

"I'm surprised that she even made it that long," Light's long time enemy, L, commented.

The girl in question, Kurai, or at the moment, Niiro, had collapsed due to sheer exhaustion. She'd slumped back, her head over the back and laptop still on her legs. She was snoring lightly, and it really didn't look comfortable.

"Well we've all been working ourselves to the bone; it's no surprise that we're losing sleep," Light said, closing his eyes to rant about the sleep cycles of the Task Force, "I mean look at you, you're just … hey, wait a moment, what are you doing?"

L had stopped paying attention to his suspect and instead had crossed the room to the couch where Kurai had fallen asleep on. He scooped her up in his arms before heading for the stairs.

"What does it look like?" L rolled his eyes.

"Yeah … well, isn't she _my_ girlfriend?"

"Light, just shut up and get back to work."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hmm, that second scene really reminded me of this weekend's Doctor Who episode ("Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS") where the Doctor is panicking and he sort of yells at Clara "I look at you every single day and yet I don't know a single thing about you." That was a good episode ... And I really really like Clara. She's awesome. I also loved "Hide", though that one really creeped the fuck out of me.

The Omake is kind of what I imagined what would have happened before that second scene. :)

Also, on Kurai's father. She has a whole lot of emotional turmoil in regards to him, and she hardly even knows what to think, even a year later. The case has been a major distraction for her, but in a good way. Also, I've mentioned this before: there's a lot more to that story than I've been letting on, and I'll cover that later in a different story in the same AUniverse.

- DW


	26. Closer to You

**Chapter Twenty-Six - **_Closer to You  
><em>

_Hand held out,  
><em>_Eyes kind,  
><em>_Gifts promised.  
><em>_A knife returned._

* * *

><p>"Ryuzaki, did you send someone to guard the station after I left the day we first met?"<p>

The detective looks thoughtful for a moment, "Mr. Aizawa."

I look over at the police officer with the 'fro. He looks right back at me. I jump to my feet, sugar-fied coffee in hand. "Aizawa, come with me!" I instruct, and head for the stairs. The detective slowly follows me, brow furrowed in confusion.

As soon as we're up two flights of stairs into the main lobby (ground floor) I look over at him with a serious expression. "Did you see two people talking outside the Police Station when Ryuzaki asked you to return there?" I ask.

"Uh, I guess. It's kind of hard to remember, it was months ago, but yeah. I guess I did," he scratches the back of his head and raises an eyebrow at me.

"Did one of them have black hair?"

"I think a young woman did. I wasn't paying much attention," he shrugs.

"Aizawa, what if you had seen Naomi Misora?" my eyes are wide and shining.

"Then … I don't know."

"It means I just might have found evidence of her murder," I smile brightly, "Do you mind saying what you just told me on tape?"

* * *

><p>"The Kira case is nearly over my friends!" I am laughing as I skip down the steps into the main investigation room. Everyone looks at me with surprise.<p>

"You mean you know who Kira is?"

"I have evidence of Naomi's murder!" I shout excitedly. "Now all I have to do is find that little tidbit of information to tie her to the Kira case, and we can wrap this up!" I'm pretty much bouncing off the walls.

Or is that the sugar?

Aizawa follows me at a slower pace as I run up to Matsu and high-five him.

"Niiro, I am simply asking this in the event we _do_ solve this case, but would you be willing to become a full-time detective?" Ryuzaki asks. I look over at the detective and blink owlishly a few times.

"Detective?"

"Well, I guess you could already call yourself one, after all, you found Naomi Misora."

I think for a moment, "What would happen if I said yes?" Everyone stares at the two of us, but we simply ignore them.

"You would become a detective."

"Obviously," I chuckle.

"Your deductive skills are rather impressive. Other detectives with years of experience weren't able to match your thought process while looking for her."

"L that is a wonderful offer, thank you, but I'll have to decline." Everyone else in the room seems surprised.

"Why would you throw away a chance like that?" Light asks me.

"I became Red because I wanted to help with this case. I've said this before – Kira disgusts me in a way that I can't fully describe. I want him brought to justice. After that, I want a normal life. If I really am as good as you think, then people would be after me. Just look at Ryuzaki, his entire life is centered on it; I don't want to be like that." I smile sadly, "In fact, I want to become a Journalist. That _is_ what I'm going to College for."

"You would give that all up though?" Mr. Yagami asks. I look over at him.

"I never said I wanted fame or fortune," with a shrug, I head off to my floor.

* * *

><p>"Hey Light," I say suddenly, looking up from my laptop.<p>

"Yes?"

"I just realized that you haven't introduced me to your family yet," I look over at him with a small smirk tugging at my lips.

"Huh, I guess so. Tell you what, I'll call my mother and we can see if we can set up a time when you can come over for dinner." He gives me a glance that says 'what are you going to do?', then nods.

"Great," I smile.

Step one of my plan, commence.

* * *

><p><em>"We interrogated all the passengers for you, except that one person,"<em> Andrews says, _"I think you're on to something."_

"Of course I am – that's why I sent you in the first place."

_"So Kira was on the bus?"_

"I'm pretty sure of that, but at the moment it's too dangerous for you to speak directly with our prime suspect. I'll handle that."

_"… I underestimated you."_

"Should I take that as a compliment?"

_"Yeah, you should."  
><em>

* * *

><p>A few days later Light takes me home with him. I'm a little nervous, meeting his family and all. I've known Mr. Yagami for a few months, but for security reasons they do not know this.<p>

I am curious to see his mother and younger sister. I don't know what kind of people they are. I'm hoping that they do not realize the only reason I'm dating their son is to convict him of being Kira.

Hopefully they like me.

I know for certain that Mr. Yagami will completely see through the act that I'm about to pull. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he figured out why I had asked to come over and meet his family.

I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Light and I get out of the car, and he leads me up to the door as Mr. Yagami goes to park it. Light (infuriating bastard) puts his arm around my waist and leads me to the door. He opens it up, and I raise my metaphorical mask.

"Light!" a young girl, around age thirteen exclaims happily, running to the door. She takes one look at me and pauses for a second.

"You must be Sayu," I say and smile warmly. As soon as I do this, she breaks into a grin and pries me out of Light's grip.

"And you must be Kurai! Oh I have so much to talk about!" the girl laughs, and I give a small laugh too and let her lead me inside. "Hey mom, come here!" A short, mousy woman (shorter than me!) comes out from the kitchen and smiles warmly at me.

"Oh, you must be Kurai, I've heard so much about you. Light is very fond of you," she says.

"Is that so?" I give a good-natured laugh, wanting to punch Light right where it hurts.

I hear the door shut as Mr. Yagami comes back inside. I look over at him and give a small smile. He simply stared at me like I'm some sort of alien.

You're wondering what's going on, aren't you?

"Supper's almost ready dear," Sachiko Yagami says to her husband. He breaks off eye-contact with me and nods to his wife. Sayu claims me again before dragging me off to another room. She flicks on the TV and sits down next to me.

"So, how'd you meet my brother? I want to hear everything!"

"That's hardly appropriate Sayu," Light says and sits down on my other side.

"Aw, come on!" she pouts, making me laugh.

"Hmm … let's see. I guess it was at the entrance exams to To-Oh," I say to her. "He approached me after them and we had a quick conversation. I guess we were friends after that."

"Until he asked you out," Sayu laughs, and I smile at her. Light's staring at me.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"So, what are your favorite celebrities?" she asks me.

This catches me off guard, as I'm not really used to this sort of thing. My mind goes blank for a moment before I blurt out the name that Panda-Face wanted to use as an alias, the name he couldn't use because my cousin knew him as Ryuzaki.

Hideki Ryuga.

She squeals and launches into a little rant on him. Apparently he's her favorite. I find this funny and end up laughing quietly at some of her quirky comments or fan-girlishness. She's just an innocent little kid.

Just a kid.

I feel … sad. If I were to convict Light of being Kira … who knows what it would do to his family? Light, what have you done? You're going to rip their hearts apart. I guess we could always lie and tell them that he was killed by Kira, not executed as a mass-murderer.

Leave their memories of him untarnished.

It's only a small condolence.

It will be hardest on Mr. Yagami. He firmly believes that his son is _not_ Kira, convinced of his innocence. He's said as much before. It will reflect on him as a parent, and rip his son away. That must be the hardest thing for a parent to face.

Truly, Mr. Yagami, I am sorry for you.

Soon enough Mrs. Yagami calls us for supper, and we go to their kitchen table. Dinner goes smoothly. We laugh, we talk, and everything is good.

"So Kurai, you go to the same University as Light?" Mrs. Yagami asks me. I give a nod and a smile.

"That's right. I'm in Journalism."

"And how is that going for you?"

"Really well."

The two of us end up talking about it for a little while. I can tell that she's pretty similar to Mrs. Misora. They share a lot of beliefs. They would be good friends. During the middle of the meal, Sayu asks a question. I have been planning to somehow work it into the conversation; instead she does it for me.

"Hey, so where are you taking Kurai on your next date?" Sayu nudges her brother with her elbow, giving a small smirk.

"I'm not sure," Light smiles lightly, and his mother smiles at us.

"I have an idea," he looks at me, "How about Space-Land?"

"Oh! He took a girl to Space-Land one time! That's a great idea!" Sayu exclaims, and I smile lightly.

"When was that?"

"In December, I think," she laughs lightly.

I give a small, evil smirk that I could probably pass off as humor. Light glances over at me, and for a second I think he looks a little panicked. Finally figure out my reason for coming here?

I feel another set of eyes on me, and I glance over at Mr. Yagami. He's paled dramatically. Are you onto me too? I smile lightly at him before raising my act again.

"I still think it'll be fun," I smile and laugh just like nothing had ever happened.

* * *

><p>"I'll drive her home. I have to head back to work anyway," Mr. Yagami excuses himself, and I follow suit. I put up with a small, awkward hug from Light and a bear-hug from Sayu. She's a sweet girl.<p>

"Bye everyone, it was nice to meet you all," I smile and they see me off. I close the door behind me.

Mr. Yagami is waiting in the car, and he turns to look at me when I shut the door.

"You didn't really want to meet my family, did you?"

"Mr. Yagami, you misunderstand me, I really did want to meet them – wonderful they are. It's too bad there aren't more people like that in the world," I give a small sigh and a smile.

"You're still trying to convict Light of being Kira. You're not dating him because you care, your dating him to try and gather information," he says stoically as he starts the car. My smile vanishes, to be replaced by a frown.

"You finally catch on," I say quietly, "Mr. Yagami, I must apologize to you."

"What for?" he says, but through the tone of his voice I can tell that he's upset.

"Your son might actually turn out to be Kira."

"You can't be serious; my son couldn't possibly be Kira!"

I turn to look at the older detective with sad eyes, "Believe me, I wish it were otherwise. On the other hand, I have evidence that he at least came into contact with Naomi Misora and Raye Penbar before their deaths."

Mr. Yagami's eyes widen, and for a second I thought he was going to crash us. "What evidence?"

"Multiple eye-witness reports, ticket receipts, and I've even found a surveillance tape where it shows him talking to Naomi," Mr. Yagami is silent through my entire explanation, but his jaw is clenched. He doesn't want to believe it. He's the sort of person who will deny his son's guilt until the evidence is overwhelming.

I'm truly sorry for you.

The silence stretches for a few minutes, until we see headquarters come into sight. I let out a long sigh and lean back in my seat. "You're a good father Mr. Yagami. You remind me of my own father," my smile fades, "That is, until he killed himself." 

* * *

><p>So Light had a date when he was on that bus? I guess it makes sense, an excuse to get on the bus to Space-Land without arousing Raye's suspicion. So who was the girl he took along with him?<p>

I probably shouldn't ask Sayu. Besides, it's unlikely that Light would have told her in the first place. No, I need something more than that.

I should start digging. The circles of gossip are not my genre, but Kakushin has that one covered. She told me that there's a girl that could probably find out anything I need. I'll have her look into it. I _need_ to find out who it is.

If I can get this girl to tell me that Light saw Penbar's ID, then we could get a warrant, which would lead us right to his Death Note.

I'm _so_ close.

* * *

><p>I can't thank Kakushin enough. She did great in finding out who went with Light to Space-Land. Light had bought both tickets to the bus so that she wouldn't get involved. Some of the witnesses reported that Penbar at least talked to Light.<p>

Now I need that last little bit, the report of someone who was right in the middle of it. I'm off to visit this girl, she was a little surprised when I called her up (phonebooks are amazing) and asked to come over, but she accepted.

So now I'm just walking up to her door. Apparently she arranged it on a day that her parents were off shopping, so she's home alone. I knock on the door, and am greeted by a cheery young woman around my age.

"Come in, you must be Kurai!" she says and lets me in.

"Yeah," I reply.

We get ourselves situated in the living room, and I quickly pull out my coil notebook and the recorder. She stares at me like I'm a psycho before sitting down in a chair close to me.

"You went with Light Yagami to Space-Land on December the 20th," I say, and she gives a small nod.

"Yeah, but why ..?"

"I need you to recount _everything_ that happened on that bus, in the greatest detail you can. Leave nothing out. Also, do you mind if I record our conversation?"


	27. The End of All Things

**A/N: ATTENTION!** Last time I posted this chapter (well, the equivalent) lots of people PANICKED on me. No, this is not the last chapter, so hold your horses.

Oh man, I just love this chapter. I really fucking hated it's last version, so I said 'fuck dis shit' and completely overhauled it. It's now pretty fucking awesome. And now I'm going to go be a troll and leave you with a cliffhanger. Sorry.

-DW

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Seven - <strong>_The End of All Things  
><em>

_Rust licking at old antiques,  
><em>_The old clockmaker stills.  
><em>_Everything falls apart,  
><em>_The chimes fall with no noise.  
><em>_Everything corrodes,  
><em>_The stone turns to dust.  
><em>_Everything ends,  
><em>_The record skips.  
><em>_Everything dies,  
><em>_The old heart stops._

_Everything is born._

* * *

><p>"Thank you for all your help, Andrews, I really appreciate it."<p>

_"No, I'd like to thank _you_. I knew Naomi and Raye, they were good people. I'm glad that you've helped us. I also want to thank you on behalf of the bureau. If you ever need our help, we'll be there," _the agent says, saluting the camera on his end. I smile at the gesture.

"Thank you again," I say, sad that I still have to use the voice-distorter. I'd like to thank them in person, but my position makes that dangerous and possibly life-threatening.

"It's no problem," he says, smiling at the camera. I think we've come to a sort of understanding.

I'd like to work with you again, Agent Andrews, maybe another time, on another case. It would be an honor. They have my deepest respect, those people. Their government, not so much, but the people that make up the world give me hope.

"See you later," I chuckle in goodbye before disconnecting. 

* * *

><p>… What is it?<p>

I _need _to know.

I can't go on not knowing, or something bad will happen.

Light, _Kira_, still hasn't made his move. He's been at a standstill the entire time while he watched me gather all that I need. Fuck, I could pretty much have him _arrested_ at this point. I've got him at the noose, to use a crude term, and yet he just sits there at his computer, pretending to help the investigation.

There's a lot of evidence in his direction. It all points to him at this moment. All the investigation would need is his Death Note …

Wait …

Fuck. He's been at a halt for a_ tactical_ reason. He's let me back up into a metaphorical corner. The thing I would have to do next is pretty extreme and endangers me too … am I really willing to risk that?

But why would he want me in this corner in the first place? I'm _so_ close to getting him.

He's close to getting me too …

Oh.

_Oh._

That's what's going on.

"Oh fuck," I whisper under my breath, glad that the two behind me are so engrossed in what they're doing that they don't even notice me speak.

I guess I have a lot of work to do now, don't I? 

* * *

><p>Well … that's new.<p>

I think this is the first time that Light's actually taken an initiative like this. It's kind of scary, actually. His eyes have a wild edge to them, dangerous and dead serious. I have a bad feeling about this.

"Hey," he breathes.

His body is trembling, I see. It's not cold, and he's not afraid. Dear lord, he's excited. He's been _waiting_ for this. My eyes narrow as I look up at him. The streetlights cast his shadow on me, but his eyes stand out in any lighting.

Has he completely lost it?!

"What do you want?" I hiss, feeling an uncomfortable sensation wash over me. His arms are keeping me in place, one on each side of my head. This is frighteningly similar to our encounter in January, which is something I don't really want to relive. The last time this happened he killed a lot of people, and I lost the battle – I'd made a mistake.

"Join me."

… I was _not_ expecting that.

"Did you just ask me to …?" I breathe, eyes wide in surprise.

"Of course I did, I like you. You could help make this world a much better place, can you imagine it?"

"No, not really," I growl. This is unacceptable, I decide. He doesn't seriously think that I'll help him in his bloodbath, does he? It must be a last attempt to assert his dominance.

Human beings are not inherently evil. There's no such thing as _evil_. It's an imagined concept, and after all, how can something be evil if there are so many shades of gray?

There is no black or white.

… I'd forgotten that too.

It seems that Light is beyond hope at this point. It's a shame, really. He's completely forgotten what he'd set out to do in the first place and became a psycho killer.

"Well, I can't say that I didn't expect you to say that," Light sighs regretfully, but it's mocking me at the same time. He's so confident right now that it's downright horrifying. His ego has swelled to monstrous proportions.

"What do you mean?" I ask. I really don't like where this is going.

"You're _so_ close to capturing me, and yet you couldn't be any further," he laughs. "Tell me L's name."

I knew this was coming, I really did, but he's far too confident at the moment. Something's wrong, really, _really_ wrong, and I don't like it.

"You're not seriously asking me that, _Kira_," I hiss.

"Ah, well that's the thing. You don't really have a choice."

"Oh?"

"You see, L's going to die. That isn't going to change. What can change is your involvement."

"My involvement?"

What …?

"I could threaten to kill you, you know, but I have a feeling that it's not going to work, so how about you tell me L's name and I let those two friends of yours live?"

… I hadn't been expecting that either.

He's threatening those two. Oh, no, no, **no! **This isn't good. God, what am I going to do next? He's been waiting for me to get comfortable … he's been able to get in this position _because_ we were so suspicious of him. It was why he was safe. We'd been too busy trying to find evidence against him that we'd turned our backs and hid from him and the Task Force. (When I say we I'm including L.)

So why not just force me to give him L's name in the first place? He can control people through the Death Note, so why not write something down like 'tell Light what he wants to know'. The Death Note can fill in gaps, like I found from Naomi's death.

Fuck.

He's only doing this for his own entertainment.

He knows that I'll figure that out.

He smiles, like he can see the look in my eye that says 'I know what you're doing'. He begins to laugh, dipping his head forward to chuckle ominously. "I've won."

After that he steps back, still snickering to himself. Light adjusts his jacket and checks his pockets for something before he looks at me from under his eyebrows. "I'll give you a day to decide," he tells me before he leaves.

When he's gone I slide down the side of the alley wall, panting heavily. That hadn't even taken five minutes, but it just changed everything.

Someone is going to die.

I cry.

* * *

><p>"Vile, Misa said that if I destroyed her Death Note, she'd lose her memories."<p>

_"Yeah."_

"She had Shinigami eyes, and she lost them when she lost her memories."

_"I suppose so."_

"I didn't trade for my eyes. What'll happen if I lose my memories of the Death Note?"

The lizard is silent for a few moments as he ponders the matter. _"I don't know. I think you're the only one to ever be in a situation like this. My guess is that you'll keep em, because you've had them for a while …"_

"You are _no help_ whatsoever."

He laughs.

Well that's a setback, even though it makes sense. Misa lost memory of making the deal, so it essentially didn't happen. But I don't have memories of the exchange, so we don't really know what'll happen. I can't base my next move on assumptions. This isn't the time to gamble. I have to be completely, 100% sure before I do anything.

I have fourteen hours left.

… I have five options, don't I?

Obey him and let L die.

Disobey him and we all die.

Give up ownership, which might not work.

Kill him before he kills me, but nothing will be resolved.

Or …

Oh.

I guess that's the only option that will end this.

* * *

><p>My climb up to the roof isn't rushed. I have a few hours, after all. I just spent a while making some last minute preparations. Things are looking good. It seems as though the game has ended.<p>

_Tong …_

I feel a twinge of regret. I am so selfish that way. I've been enjoying myself while people die. But then again, aren't we all selfish? It's a part of who we are, what we must be. From the animals we kept the instincts to survive. All this Justice stuff is in our imagination, a _disease_, if you will.

It's raining when I reach the top. The clock on my phone tells me that it's nearly midnight. Symbolic, that is. It's almost the birth of a new day. I stay underneath the overhang at the door for a few minutes, watching the horizon.

I then step into the downpour and I'm immediately soaked to the bone. It's fucking _cold_, but I don't mind that much at the moment. I begin to laugh.

_Tong …_

"I've finally _lost it_, haven't I?" I cackle at the thunder. The clouds are dark, but the city is bright from beneath, lighting the belly of the storm orange. It's exciting, not dreary like a normal rainstorm. I like it; I've always liked storms like these.

"Oh, that's not really surprising I suppose. I've been slowly going _crazy_ since the funeral. I guess that's all your fault too, isn't it?" I shout, challenging the heavens. I take steps towards the railing.

"Look at me now, huh? Here I am, about to do something that nobody expected, not even **Kira**!" I spread my arms and bellow the name at the clouds. They rumble in reply.

_Tong …_

I spin once before leaning over on my knees. I chuckle to myself.

"You know, it's been fun," I admit, standing up straight and reaching into my pocket. I promised myself that I wouldn't so this again, but hey, I'm going to die, right? I take a swig out of the bottle that I'd had in my jacket.

I'm not drunk, not yet. This isn't something that you do drunk.

"I've had so much fun that I forgot that this isn't a _game_, not really. It's like poker, except we're betting with lives. That's not right. It's not **right!**" I shout and shake my head, taking another swig. The alcohol burns my throat on the way down.

_Tong …_

"This whole thing is so disgusting …" I laugh, "It's ironic that in attempting to cleanse the world you expose how filthy we really are, _Kira_."

Look at us all, like mice on a wheel. We blindly follow whatever is presented to us. We're all slaves to the boring, normal lives we've been told to live. We're all slaves to the majority, even if that majority is only a minority. We're like sheep!

And there you are, Kira, the wolf in ram's clothes (because you're above them, aren't you?). You kill the black sheep to feed yourself, while the white sheep watch you and praise you as a god.

If you're the wolf, then I am the hunter.

_Tong._

"But there's an exception to every rule, isn't there?" I take another drink. "There are so many people out there, so many wonderful, glorious, _brilliant_ people, and they're _better_ than you!" I gesture at the sky with my empty hand.

They're so much better than _you_, you diseased thing!

I rock on my heels and watch the lightning dance across the sky. This is the sort of high that I enjoy. In the heat of the moment I really feel alive. I honestly couldn't have picked a better way to die, wouldn't have picked another method. Of course I hate that I do have to die now, but we all have to die sometime. I can't see my own lifespan, never have, so isn't it my right to die in the way that I want?

"Oh this is why I love the world, Kira, and why I can't let you have it. A few rotten apples don't spoil the bunch, and most rotten apples aren't rotten the entire way through. It's like cutting off mold on cheese … Great, now I'm making _food_ comparisons," I laugh at the ridiculousness.

I point at the sky, addressing it like I was speaking to another. "There's no such thing as evil, but if there was such a thing, it would be you! You're a hypocrite!" I cry, emphasizing the last four words with a thrust of my left pointer finger.

I walk until I'm leaning on the rail, watching the streets below. Cars and the people in them go about their evenings without a care in the world, those innocent people, who have no fear of being killed by a narcissistic megalomaniac. They're beautiful, how they live in the oppression of society, how in their illusions they create meaning and _that's why_ they're free. All those people leave their footprint on the world, whether for good or bad, and it makes the world so vast and interesting and just plain awesome, in the actual definition of the word. It leaves me in awe and wonder.

"You're a _child_, Kira. It took me a long time to realize this, I'm sure, but I guess being selfish is a part of being _human_."

We take because we care. Maybe it's for ourselves, or maybe it's for others. I think of the people who've made an impact on my life, and in this one moment I find the strength in me to forgive them.

"That's why I can't forgive you for trying to take the lives of those dear to me," my voice becomes sober as I gaze at the people below. I think of those beautiful people who I care about, who care about me, even if I've been a lying asshole. I've lied to all of them at some point. I've lied to myself.

It's time that I told the truth.

"I'm going to rip you apart, and even though I'm going to die, _I won't let you forget me_. So _**fuck you**_, Kira!"

I smile, closing my eyes. With a sigh I haul myself up onto the guardrail. The wind whips around my face, distorting my vision. My hair's in my eyes, and I still need a haircut, but things like that don't really matter anymore. I have the world right in front of me, and it's incredible and so full of life and it sets my heart pounding.

_Tong!_

I reach into my left pocket with my empty hand, discarding the mostly-full bottle to the floor behind me. I pull out my phone and check the time. It's about two minutes to the next day. I press the 'send' button.

I send the text that will change the world.

With a nostalgic grin I count down the seconds until midnight.

I've moved my Knight, and now to sacrifice my Queen.

"I've been watching you, Kira, just like you wanted!" I whisper under my breath. I can't even hear myself over the wind now. My red eyes glint. "So it's your turn to watch me."

I take a step, and my world shatters.


	28. Madness

**A/N: **Hurk, me and my stupid depressing monologues. Is this what comes with being a teenager? Get me through fucking Uni already!

Ahem. Anyway, I managed to pull myself up back onto my writing wagon (is that even a thing?) and right now I'm listening to Doctor Who soundtracks and really pumped for both the next episode and the 50th anniversary, AND WRITING! Which hasn't happened to me in ... a month? Maybe even more.

The last time I posted this chapter I was really hyped and I laughed at the people who thought it was the end, but was really touched by how much you guys liked it. For the last few weeks I've been really unsure about my ending and this whole 'fanfiction' thing. I was being stupid, I mean, really REALLY stupid. I think that comes with the territory of being pre-adult.

Fuck that shit.

I had WAY more balls last time I posted this, which was more than a year ago, back when I was _[censored]_ and a little wonky in the head ... wait, I still am, I've just matured QUITE A BIT, even though I am still prone to my odd childish bouts, and as my elder sister put it (who is married and has two wonderful ginger sons), I DON'T HAVE TO BE MATURE. I'm going to get over myself and post this shit because its MY FIRST BOOK (even though it's FANFICTION, it's long enough to be considered one). This is a part of me, it's my baby, and I'm a procrastination monster. This is one of the few things that put a spring in my step and a sparkle in my eye, and I need to hold onto writing (even if it's fanfiction) like a fucking lifeline because hormones are like little bitch monsters.

And besides, it's not like I'm trying to impress anyone. This is fanfiction, a love for something thrown up into sort-of-literature.

So here are the next three chapters.

_- D-redheaded-W_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Eight - <strong>_Madness_

_The madness is a part of us all,  
><em>_Flickering on the edges of our imagination,  
><em>_In our voice after trauma,  
><em>_In the air of a place of evil,  
><em>_In their eyes when we've lost all hope._

* * *

><p>L looked down at his pocket, where his phone was vibrating. Light looked at him sideways from his spot in his own chair. The Task Force was spread across the room, checking or double checking the small pieces of evidence that they <em>did<em> have.

He pulled the phone from his pocket and checked it. There was only a single text message on it.

The words had him reeling.

He immediately clicked a key on his keyboard to call up Watari. The gothic W filled the screen, and his old friend's voice spoke. "Ryuzaki, is there something you need?"

His voice was strangely panicked, and when he spoke everyone in the room paused to watch him. "Watari, where is Niiro?"

There was no reply for ten seconds.

"The cameras captured her heading up to the roof."

His eyes widened in horror. Without looking back he leaped out of his chair, sprinting for the stairs. "Watari, get a sedative!" he called over his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Light called after him, followed by confusion from the Task Force.

He was in full out panic. There was no way, _dear god_ he hoped that it wasn't true. (He didn't even _believe_ in god.) His heart was thundering, and it hurt, but every second counted at that point. Technically he'd already wasted time.

She wasn't really going to …

Was she?

This was the first time he'd experienced something like this, and he decided that he hated it. He'd let himself rest easy, and now something like _this_ happens?! What on earth was she thinking?!

Fuck it he had to go faster.

By the time he'd burst onto the roof he was breathing so hard that he was wheezing and his mouth tasted like blood. He was _almost_ too late. "No!" he cried, running forward into the storm. She'd almost jumped, and there was a moment of sickening terror in which he wondered whether he was too late …

Just as she was about to jump he grabbed her and dragged her back to safety.

That was when she completely _lost it._

She became a kicking, screaming mess that wouldn't stop trying to escape. She'd suddenly lost everything that made her, _her_, and it shocked him to his core. He was forced to pin her to the ground so that she wouldn't do anything to hurt him or herself. It tore him apart to see that her eyes had lost all sanity to them.

And what really hurt was that she was crying.

Watari rushed from in the building, holding a small case. He knelt down next to the detective and noted the state that she was in, and without a moment's thought he opened the case and filled a small needle with a clear liquid. He then handed it to his younger ward.

"Sorry about this," L apologized quietly as he stabbed the needle into her shoulder. In only a few seconds her breathing returned to normal, her eyes rolled up into her head and she stopped struggling entirely.

Watari patted the young detective on the back as he stood up, watching her now unconscious form. "She'll be just fine," the elderly man tried to comfort him.

"I hope you're right," he croaked.

_I'm sacrificing my Queen. Find what I left, and make sure you capture Kira. It's been great. See you later, Panda-Face._

– _RED  
><em>

* * *

><p>The bells were especially loud that night.<p>

…

…

…

…

…

Auh …

…

…

Where …?

…

There are moving shapes …

…

No …

Get away …

Get away from me.

Away!

Get away from me!

Ah!

**"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Doctors rushed forward to contain the frantic patient. They strapped down her screaming form, an in one fluid motion injected her with enough sedative to knock out an elephant.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Monster …<em>

* * *

><p>She was four years old.<p>

_"Darling, come look at this!" her mother beckoned the toddler's father over to the child, who was sitting on a mat playing with colored letter blocks._

_ "Hmn … what is it?" her father asked, sauntering over. He took one look at what the child was writing, and his eyes widened, "Whoa, s-should we tell someone about this?"_

_ Next to the four year old, a _mute_ four year old, the letter blocks spelt out one sentence:_

I can hear you, and I know what you say.

* * *

><p><em>Most normal children say either 'mama' or 'dada' as their first words. Not this one. Her first words were: "Shut it off," in reference to the song playing on the radio. She never liked country music, ever.<br>_

* * *

><p><em>"All she does is read. She doesn't pay attention in class, never answers any questions, doesn't talk to other children, and yet she <em>still_ scores nearly perfect on tests," the student councilor gave an exasperated sigh and looked pointedly at the father of the child in question._

_ "I'm sorry. She never was one to talk … and her mother passed away a few years ago. Sometimes, it's just best to leave her to her own devices," he apologized. The young girl that they had been talking about smiled lightly from behind the book she was buried in. The title was labeled 'Encyclopedia'.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"Momma, why are my eyes like this?" the little black-haired girl asked her mother as she looked in the mirror. For a reason that nobody could really explain it appeared like her pupils had dilated and refused to shrink. Some described them as emotionless or dead.<em>

_ "It's because you can see the light in the world better than any of us," the brunette laughed her joyful laugh and ruffled her daughter's hair.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, freak show, didn't the circus already leave town?" one girl taunted at the young black haired teen. She was surrounded by five other girls, who were teasing her relentlessly.<em>

_ "I don't recall there ever being a circus here, or has your short term memory been compromised?" she taunted back, a small grin tugging at her lips as the other girl blinked in surprise._

_ "Well … your hair is so greasy!"_

_ "It's just the lighting in here."_

_ "Um … You don't have a boyfriend?" The last came out as more of a question._

_ "Good job, nothing gets by you," the black haired teen chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Now please move aside, I was going to class, or do you want me to wait while you come up with some better insults?"  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>I've seen these before …<em>

* * *

><p><em>"Maybe we should have her checked?" the father suggested, leaning against the counter. He sighed and rubbed at his temples. His face was worn and tired, mostly from the strain of rearing a young, rambunctious genius.<em>

_ "Do you really think that's the right answer? They'll have her locked away or constantly tested on – put in an institute. Any chance of having a normal life will be ripped away from her," the Mother argued, who was just as tired and worn. Her long brown hair was slightly messy and dull, along with her blue eyes._

_ "It's just … she obviously doesn't fit in with the other kids. She _isn't_ normal. I doubt she ever will be."_

_ "No, she isn't normal, she's unique, and we should _embrace_ that."_

_Sigh. "You're right."_

_ The small girl leaned against the wall, clutching her book and listening in on the conversation. No, she wasn't going to be normal. She was going to be abnormal. She was going to reach the top, and become the best of the best._

_ At least, once she figured out what place she wanted to be the best in._

* * *

><p><em>"Daddy, where do babies come from?" the little girl of five asked, watching the television with her father. The two characters on the soap were arguing about having children.<em>

_ "Uh, well, babies come from mommy's tummy," the father said, a bead of sweat running down his face._

_ "Daddy, if you think that's going to satisfy me, you are wrong. Where do they _really_ come from?"_

_ Oh, this was going to be a long night …_

* * *

><p><em>When she had her first 'experiment', the neighborhood was put into a state of shock. When every single one of them woke up, somehow their hair had been turned blue.<br>_

* * *

><p><em>"Heh, <em>maybe_ her mom was a whore," one boy laughed. He was just a skinny, pimply teenager, just barely starting puberty. The black haired girl spun around, all calmness gone. The boy stared openly in shock as she rushed over and tackled him to the ground._

"Never insult my mother!" _she roared, punching the boy in the face. She sat on his stomach and continued to beat him senseless, heedless of the shouting around her. They needed three teachers to help haul her off of the poor boy, whose face was bleeding freely. _

_ The girl spat at the ground in front of him, "You never talk about her again! You fucking reprobate!"_

_ The teachers holding her back stared in shock at the young girl. How did she ever learn that word?_

* * *

><p><em> These teachers had only been teaching her for a week. She was the new kid after all – they didn't know what they were dealing with.<em>

_"You're an enigma, a puzzle that I cannot solve."_

_The high school teacher was never the same again. Not after that … He had been teaching when a young girl, whom he had never heard speak before, said in the middle his lecture, "You're wrong."_

_ He looked over at the young girl. She sat at the back, so she had needed to speak up to address him. In front of her a book that had nothing to do with the class was open. The first day of class (and every class after that) all she had done was sit there and read different books. He had presumed that she was a troublemaker and would never achieve anything, until he read her test results: a near perfect score. The question she had messed up on was easy, and the answer had pretty much been presented earlier in the test._

_ Was she mocking him?_

_ "Explain to me, how am I wrong?" he asked._

_ The rest of the class watched with silent horror for the next ten minutes as they argued over the fact._

_ In the end, the strange girl from the back of the class had won.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>She relaxed, stretching out luxuriously on the hotel couch. Sunlight flitted in through the half-drawn blinds and bathed her in its warmth. Her black hair took a copper sheen from the light. She crossed her arms behind her head, eyes closed and a small smile on her lips.<em>

_On the other couch on the other side of the coffee table, her friend and co-worker stared at his laptop screen, reading whatever information was on it._

_ "Hmm … I think every day should be like this. It's so nice," she said, a light purr making its way to her voice as she relaxed. Her friend looked up, and then looked back down at his computer._

_ "I agree."  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"I am Red."<em>

* * *

><p><em>The body, mangled, rotting and emitting a putrid scent only death and decay could harbor, hanging by its neck from the rafters. Strips of flesh falling off the bones, guts hanging out of the holes in the corpse, most of the arms and legs already decayed enough to fall from the body. Flies and maggots swarming over it, bones, littering the floor, empty eye sockets stared at the young black haired woman standing in the doorway of the small room.<em>

_ Naomi Misora._

We've found her.

* * *

><p><em>She snuck up on him, a mischievous grin on her face. In her hand was a normal looking cup of water. Coming into sight the black-haired man slept peacefully (as much peace as a man like him could get). His laptop was still on the coffee-table, angrily glaring at the room. <em>

_ With surprising stealth, she managed to sneak up on his curled up form in the armchair. She successfully wedged the cup between his foot and the armrest without waking him up. Now, with increased caution, she slowly took his hand and dipped it into the cup …_

_ And ran, trying to contain her giggles._

* * *

><p><em>I know these scenes …<em>

_ Memories …_

_ Replaying over and over in my head …_

_ I submerge again._

* * *

><p>"Oh my god, Makoto …" Kakushin cried, sobbing into his shoulder. Her friend held her tightly, not daring to let her go.<p>

"It's okay," he whispered meaningless words into her ear, trying to comfort her. She was in a state of shock, especially after receiving the news of what Kurai had done.

"_Why would she do that?_ She's such a selfish _bitch _sometimes … she didn't even think of what would happen to _us_ if she died!"

"She's not dead, you know that," he whispered, rubbing her back as she shook.

"She was going to_ kill_ _herself! Why would she do that?!_"

"Maybe she had a good reason to," he whispered, burying his face in her hair, trying not to cry too. 

* * *

><p>"Ryuzaki, where are you going?" Light called out to the elusive detective, who had been pretty much avoiding him the entire day. The dark man looked over his shoulder at his top suspect, no, <em>Kira<em>, and then turned to leave again.

"Ryuzaki!" Light called, starting after him, "You're going to go visit Kurai … aren't you?"

The detective paused again, before letting out a small 'yes', then leaving for real. Light stared after him, then scowled and prepared to follow. He was stopped by his father however, who put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Leave him be Light, this is just as hard on him as it is us," the older detective said, gazing sadly at the doors where Ryuzaki had left from.

"I don't know if he _does_ understand," the teenager huffed, "She's just as important to me …"

"Light, I don't think you truly appreciate the depth of their bond," Light's father said. "It's normal for teenagers to date other teenagers, but those relationships don't always last. Her and Ryuzaki however … They do not regard each other romantically, but they understand each other in a way that we couldn't even begin to comprehend. Sometimes, they seem like completely different people, but other times they seem frighteningly similar. They're closer than siblings."

"How do you know?" Light said, looking rather perplexed and staring at his father. The older officer sighed.

"I was a little skeptical when I first heard of 'Red', and when she walked into the room for the first time I had many doubts about her. It was only during the conversation that I came to realize how alike they were. She jumped into the conversation for him, and vice-versa. I've even seen them complete each other's sentences."

"Whoa," Light blinked, looking back at the door.

"It must pain him greatly to see her in such a state," Mr. Yagami said, releasing his hold on his son.

* * *

><p>L, the greatest detective in the world, the one who had solved countless crimes, laughed in the faces of world leaders, sent thousands of criminals to jail and over all always had something to say was at a loss for words. He couldn't speak. His throat was constricted. He couldn't do anything as he gazed sadly into the room. His body was shaking.<p>

Padded yellow walls, a single, padded door (on the inside only, it would be kind of awkward to be padded on the outside) facing the north side of the building. She was sitting in the corner without an expression, constricted in a straightjacket. Her eyes were completely dead, without any sort of emotion or life flickering in their onyx depths. She didn't even acknowledging his presence.

"Kurai?" he finally reconnected his brain with his body and spoke to her. Hesitantly, he took a step into the squishy room, guards with large sedative needles at his back if she got violent once again.

He received no answer in return.

Did she even know he was there? Did she remember that he existed?

Was she trapped in her own consciousness, someplace where she couldn't fight off the monsters of her past, somewhere devoid of light or hope?

Somewhere he couldn't reach. 

* * *

><p><em>Fire.<em>

_ Smoke._

_ Ashes._

_ Blood._

_ Death._

_ The bells …_


	29. Reality

**A/N: **I have WAY too much fun writing crazy people, and I shouldn't deprive myself of that in the future.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Nine - <strong>_Reality  
><em>

_ Life a circle.  
><em>_We live,  
><em>_We die,  
><em>_We give life,  
><em>_We take life.  
>O<em>_ur actions affect others,  
><em>_And others affect our actions.  
><em>_All of life is a circle.  
><em>_We get what we give._

* * *

><p><em> The mother and daughter laughed themselves silly as they sung along with the song playing on the radio. They came up with random lyrics and substituted the real ones with their own.<em>

_ The girl which sat in the back seat was only nine-years old._

_ The woman driving the car was what some would call beautiful. She had long, chocolate brown hair and large blue eyes. Many had fallen head-over-heels for her, and she had pushed them all away. That is, all except one: the child's father._

_ The night was fated for disaster though._

_ They were driving on the highway on their way home. As they approached a turn-off into a country road the mother was unable to see anything coming their way._

_ So they were unaware of a car hurtling towards them._

_ It collided head on, catching the car squarely in the side. The impact sent the car flying, rolling …_

_ The girl screamed, holding on for dear life, before she blacked out momentarily._

_ When she came to the world was different. It was all upside down. With quick, nimble fingers she clicked the button securing the seatbelt to the seat. She fell and managed to shift as to not land directly on her head. _

_ A piercing pain rocketed through her body, and she looked down at her leg. There was a long gash there … and she could see something white through all the blood. _That's not good …

_ The scent of burning plastic filled her nose, and as she gagged she came to a sickening conclusion. _The car's on fire …

_ "Mommy?" the girl cried out as the steady roar of flames filled the air. A low buzzing filled her ear … and then made a coherent sound._

Tong! _It was the sound of a church bell, far in the distance, and it continued._

_ It started to get unbearably hot in the tiny cramped space, and the girl started to panic. She climbed her way into the front seats where she saw her mother still buckled in._

_ "Fire …" she whispered, seeing the environment around her glow orange. "It's so hot … it … it hurts … make it stop." Looking over at her mother, she started shaking the woman's shoulder as she reached for the buckle, "Mommy … Mommy please wake up. We have to get out of here. It hurts," she pleaded, shaking her shoulder harder. "Please, wake up. You have to wake up! The fire, it's going to burn us! You need to wake up!" the girl's voice rose to a shout._

_ Deciding to take matters into her own hand, she climbed across her mother and saw that the door had been ripped off. _What luck … _she thought despite everything. Mentally shaking herself, she slowly dragged her mother from the burning wreckage. When she got as far as she possibly could, she collapsed, panting over her mother's limp form._

_ "Mommy, wake up … you need to wake up. I'm scared," the girl said, clutching at the woman's shirt, "Mommy?"_

_ The world started to get dizzy, and she looked back at her still bleeding leg. _I'm losing … too much blood …

_ "Mommy, get up! Mommy … Mommy? Mommy!"_

Tong!

_ The blackness consumed her._

* * *

><p><em>The child was in hysterics when she woke. She screamed about the red letters and numbers floating over everyone's head. They had assumed that it was just the trauma from the accident.<em>

_ The child's mother was pronounced dead before they even got her into an ambulance._

_ The driver of the other car was never found._

* * *

><p>My field of vision slowly expands. Damn … what the hell?<p>

I blink a few times to rid them of the blurriness. Strange thing is I don't remember opening them; it's more like just coming into focus.

Auh … don't sleep like that – I pause in mid-thought when I finally take in my surroundings.

Oh shit.

I'm not dead … or am I going to spend the rest of eternity in the loony bin? I don't think they have padded yellow walls in the afterlife.

Or do they?

Well, I don't really care at this point. I'm pretty damn fucking sure that I'm alive, mainly due to the stiffness in all my joints.

Okay, so I'm in the Mental Ward. Just wonderful. Now what? Ow. I guess I should start with trying to move. I move my neck to the side, then the other. The vertebrae give a loud and satisfying 'popping' noise. With a small grin, I try moving my arms. Thanks to this jacket, I can't do much besides roll my shoulders. That feels good though.

Next are my legs. I have most of the movement capacity there. I draw my knees up to my chest, then move them back down and stretch them. _Pop! _Ah, that's better. There are padded manacles around my ankles to stop most of the excess movement that my legs could provide. Am I a violent patient?

Somehow, just the thought of that makes me laugh.

_Heh … ha-ha. Heh-ha. Heh-heh-he. Ha-ha-ha._

Oh … am I slipping again? I have to say, it feels oddly good, being insane.

What fun.

_ Heh-heh-heh-heh …_

Oh, am I laughing out loud? It seems I am, because now someone is coming inside my little padded room. A large stocky guy, in what my eyes look to be a nurse's outfit. _Ha-ha-he. _A male nurse. _Pfft. _He looks ridiculous! Somehow, this makes me laugh even harder. Oh, I forgot to mention, he's holding this big-ass needle.

He says something to me, but I can hardly make it out. I laugh even more. He stalks forward, preparing to inject me with whatever is in that needle. I really don't think that it's sugar-water.

_"Kya-hah-hah-hah-ha!"_

* * *

><p>Next time that I'm awake again, I am still in this padded room.<p>

I am starting to really hate the color yellow.

Anyway, I shake my head a few times to clear the drug-induced sleepiness. Is this how they treat mental-patients? Constantly injecting them and hiding them away in solitary confinement? I should do something about that in the future.

When I get out of here …

Speaking of which, how the hell _am_ I going to get out of here? I don't really think that I'm still fully sane …

Heh … let me see. The other way to get out would be to escape. Hmm, is it worth a shot?

A smile twists at my lips. Maybe I should have another laugh attack? It wouldn't be that hard. I can feel the giggles trying to force themselves out. It wouldn't be hard at all.

_ Kyeh-heh-heh._

So … first matter of business. The manacles I'm wearing are a bit of a pain … and they're chafing. It hurts like a bitch. I bring my knees to my chest and examine them. They don't look too strong, more or less to restrict movement of someone who can't think straight. They don't actually look too hard to break. Just twist ankles in this direction … Ow … _Snap! _There we go. Manacles are broken.

Next thing: straitjacket. Now this is going to be more of a problem. You see, straitjackets were designed to pin your arms to your body. You're stronger when you're squeezing something to your body, not trying to get it away from it. It's just like a crocodile. If you hold its jaw down, it will be very hard for it to re-open its mouth, and yet when it bites down almost nothing can break its grip.

Breaking a straitjacket … normal mental patients would never think rationally about this … so they don't have to be too complicated, and due to the whole 'muscles' thing I just explained … they don't have to be that strong.

I twist around so that my back isn't against the wall anymore. I move my leg and try to hook it under my arm … almost there … got it! Okay, I got my foot there … this might hurt a bit. Push!

And …

_Snap!_

Oh wow … I actually did it. I look over my shoulder at the binds. Oh, I see, this isn't a heavy-duty straitjacket. It's more or less the sleeves are just pinned to the shirt. _Keh-heh. _Did they really think that this would keep me bound?

I make quick work of the other sleeve. Once both arms and legs are free I give some experimental stretching. Most of my joints hurt like hell and I feel a little weaker than I usually do.

I use the wall as support as I slowly get to my feet. When I straighten my back there's quite a few popping noises, and I smile at that. I then crack my knuckles, and then my toes. Oh, this feels much better than sitting in the fetal position all day long. Don't they let patients exercise?

Damn, I feel like I'm in a fucking prison.

Slowly, I make my way over to the other corner of the room. This is the corner that I saw the nurse come in through, the man-nurse. He was wearing one of the world's worst cosplaying outfits _ever_.

I look up at the corner in the roof. Sure enough, there's a nice camera there, protected by what I would assume is tempered plastic. As hard as steel … I won't be able to break that. If I tried I'd probably end up losing lots of blood and breaking a few bones in my hand, or hand_s_.

Hmm … door. There is a door. You can vaguely see the space where the padding doesn't connect with the padding of the rest of the wall. It's not too tall, wide enough to get a kicking and screaming patient in here without too much trouble.

Most likely locked from the outside.

I wouldn't be able to get out through that door now, not without someone opening the door.

Hey, speak of the devil.

Their words bounce meaninglessly off my ears as I gaze at them. They start shouting at me now, and I frown. So noisy … I don't like it. I'd rather have the silence and solitude than these useless morons.

I look over at the corners in the room, rubbing one of the sores on my elbow with my other hand. They start shouting and pointing this time. I glace to where they are pointing. Oh, the manacles and the Straitjacket. They aren't too happy that I broke them, are they?

Well, you can't really expect me to sit still, can you?

I start chuckling lightly. _Keh-heh-heh-heh. _They don't realize that they can't keep me contained if I don't want to be contained. Idiots.

I laugh harder, and it escalates into full-blown hysterics. _"Kya-ha-ha-ha!" _Before I know it, they have me pinned to the floor. One of the staff stabs me with the needle and injects me with the clear liquid inside it.

* * *

><p>Again, I wake up to a fucking padded room. I've had enough of this. Somebody get me a lawyer! I'm a detective dammit!<p>

With a small groan, I realize that I'm in another flipping straitjacket. Except this one is the heavy-duty kind, the one that I can't break out of. I wonder … If I were to break myself out … I would need to fight, and to do that I would probably have to use my legs. They haven't replaced the manacles. Thank god.

_"Keh-heh. Wow, you look really terrible, even worse than that one time you got drunk," _a voice laughs at me, and I look around until I spot him. Sitting in a different corner, clawed hand draped over one knee, is Vile. Vile my Shinigami. I give small smile in return, and then look over at the camera.

"Hey!" I try to say, but it comes out more like a hoarse whisper. Damn … how long has it been since I last used my voice … besides laughing like a maniac. I try again, and then again before I can speak mostly normal.

"Hey, someone better get their ass down here and explain to me what the fuck is going on! I _know_ you can hear me!" I shout at the camera. Vile starts laughing and I join in with a small chuckle. I have a feeling that we're going to be best friends for a while …

It doesn't take long before the padded door opens and a man in a white coat and a clipboard walks in. His hair is short, neat and tidy; a sand brown color. Square glasses pushed up the bridge of his nose, a white coat that made him look like either a scientist or a doctor. I think it's probably the latter. Or maybe he's a mad scientist?

He stops in front of me and kneels down so that he can 'speak at my level'. "Kurai?" he asks.

"Last time I checked, that _was_ my name." The doctor gives me a frown and I return it with a cheeky grin.

"Yes … well … how are you doing? Do you need anything?"

"A nice hot shower, some decent food – I have no idea what crap you've been feeding me – space to actually _move_. I mean _really_, I don't need a fucking straitjacket," to make my point I try to move my arms.

He nods, "Do you know where you are, and what day it is?"

"No, how the hell would I know that? I'm in a freaking padded cell."

"You're in a Mental Facility just outside of Tokyo, and it's been a month and a half since you were admitted. It's November the 14th."

I stare at him incredulously. That much time has passed?

"You haven't spoken a word since then," he says, and I blink a few times more.

"You know … I _was_ mute until I was four and a half," I say.

Hold up … November … Since I was admitted.

Why?

It all comes crashing down on me, combined with the chuckles of my Shinigami.

"I …" I start to say, only to stare down at the floor.

"You what?" the doctor asks politely.

"I attempted suicide …" I whisper, and he nods. I look back up at him, desperate now. "Tell me, are they alive?!" I shout, and he looks taken aback.

"Who do you mean?"

"R-Rue Ryuzaki, Kakushin Lee and Makoto Korin, are they alive?!" I struggle against my binds, but I am forced back by a nurse. The doctor flips a few pages and looks at the text on one.

"A Rue Ryuzaki has been visiting weekly … And a Makoto Korin and Kakushin Lee have been visiting often as well. You've also had family visitors: your Aunt, Uncle and cousin have also been visiting regularly."

I blink at the guy, "They've been … visiting …"

That means …

Light can't kill me when I'm in here.

If I die while he's in the room … that's really suspicious, so as long as I'm here he can't kill me and make me tell him L's name. I also can't write it down, even in my own blood. Reason? He wouldn't be able to see. For now, I'm safe.

A huge, broad grin breaks out across my face, and the doctor is a little taken aback. "That's really good news. Thanks Doc, I owe you one. Now about the food …"

* * *

><p><em>"L, the institute just sent me an update on Niiro's status," <em>Watari's voice filled the room as the screens in front of the detective changed to show the large gothic W.

"An update?" Light said, blinking in surprise. The other assembled Task Force members completely abandoned their work to come over and listen.

_ "Yes. It seems she's started talking."_


	30. Name

**Chapter Thirty - **_Name  
><em>

_ We give titles to the unknown.  
><em>_We give names to the known.  
><em>_Is our name our definition?  
><em>_Or is it only meaningful in our minds?_

* * *

><p>They soon enough get me a non-yellow room. Thank god. During the time between, I space out a few times. I just can't talk … I have another laughing fit, which lasts at least twenty minutes. I just sit in the corner for this one, hugging myself.<p>

The room they have me in this time is bare and gray; four walls, a steel door with wire-meshed glass, one window on the other side of the room with bars on it. Once again, I feel like I'm in a prison, but thankfully there isn't a camera this time. There's a conjoining bathroom, a cot in the corner and plenty of space. Well, plenty if you're used to small rooms. This is actually better than the damn yellow room though.

They don't let me have much. I'm only dressed in a wool sweater (which is incredibly itchy) and sweat pants. I'm not allowed any items at the moment. When they feed me, they have a nurse come in with a tray of finger food who watches me while I eat. It's kind of creepy, but I guess it's acceptable. I _did_ try to commit suicide,_ a__nd_ I'm insane. They have every reason to keep a close eye on me. Not only that, but I expect that the food is layered with drugs.

I do try to tell them that I'm not suicidal any more. They won't believe me though. It seems everything I try to say is ignored or brushed aside as insane rambling.

So I can get away with talking outright to Vile.

It's time to set my plans into motion, it seems.

As soon as I realized that I'd found a space where I could wait this out and Light wouldn't be able to touch me, all kinds of plans started buzzing in my head. They won't leave me alone, and I don't _want _them to leave me alone.

This could be it.

"Vile," I say, watching him as he watches me.

_"What is it?"_

"Why'd you come to the human world?"

He laughs, and I watch as his great maw chatters. _"You don't need to ask that."_

"Tell me anyway."

_"I came because I had enough of those stupid Shinigami and their stupid, boring, lazy way of life. I think it's highly ironic that 'Gods of Death' are practically dead themselves. I want to live."_

It's my turn to laugh, but I smile too. "You want to live? You sound like a hippie."

I push aside the image of Vile wearing hippie clothing.

_"So what do you want?"_ he asks me. _"You don't ask me questions like that unless you want something from me."_

"I'm going to die for real as soon as I'm out of here, you know that. Kira will make his move before Ryuzaki will find what I've left him. They've been too caught up," I look around at the cell around me, "but the game's coming to a close."

_"What are you getting at?"_

"You don't want me to die, do you?" I ask, grinning.

His eyes narrow angrily, and he suddenly looks incredibly threatening. For the first time I feel a twinge of fear when looking at him. He gets right in my face, turning his head to the side so that I'm staring him right in the eye. His head isn't even an inch away, and he got there in only a few seconds.

_"Let me make something clear to you,_ human," he hisses. _"I will be the one to kill you when you expire. Until then you will remain alive."_

I smirk, and he seems taken aback by this. "Kira has a notebook, Vile. He could kill me at any point in time. Of course, he won't just yet, but he will eventually. Unless …"

_"… Unless what?"_

"Unless you give me a hand in defeating him, after all, even after the case has ended, there will still be more, _if _I survive."

"_Are you really asking that of a_ Shinigami?" he hisses in surprise and awe, the red lights widening.

"I'm just crazy enough to do it," I laugh. 

* * *

><p><em> Tong …<em>

They won't stop ringing … it's getting rather annoying. At first I hadn't even noticed them. Now, however … I guess I just finally realized that they were ringing non-stop.

Constantly ringing in a steady pace, in the silence of my room, it's all I can hear. I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling and trying to ignore the bells …

The bells …

No …

The Bells.

They aren't just any bells. I realize that now. They are special, unique, ringing again … and again. They rang the night my mother was killed. They rang the night my father died. They rang the night Ukita died. They ring when …

They ring when I brush up against death, even if I do not die.

So I silently listen to the Bells.

_Tong …_

The Bells of Death.

"The Bells … I can finally hear them," I whisper, chest constricting. I don't know if I'm hallucinating, but what I do know is that I've heard them before. The other times they were much louder, so I guess no one is going to die unless I hear them loudly. They are quiet, just ringing in the distance. I can hardly hear them … but they are still there, just the endless ringing in the distance.

_Tong …_

The Bells.

"I hear the Bells," I say, not at a whisper. I say it loud and clear.

Not only can I see death …

I can hear it too. 

* * *

><p><em>Rue Ryuzaki … L …<em>

"Your visitor is here," the nurse says, stalking into the room. For the safety of the sane, I am attached to the bed. That is, my ankle is chained to the metal post (the bed is bolted to the floor) and my wrists are handcuffed together. Of course, these are not police handcuffs – they are the padded shackles that they used on me in solitary confinement. I'm a little peeved by this arrangement, but the insane don't get a say in this.

When they told me that I had a visitor, I had been pretty excited. When they told me who it was, I felt dread. Oh shit … How the hell am I going to explain this to him? I feel nauseous, and glance fearfully in Vile's direction. He just shrugs.

When L walks into the room, I can't hold his gaze. I stare at the floor. I have my back to the corner on the cot. The leg that is chained to the bed is stretched out; the chain isn't _that_ long. The other leg is brought up to my chest so that I can hide behind it.

I feel like an animal, an animal that had been horribly abused, and now has to once again face his master. Ryuzaki is my friend … I'm so glad that he's alive. I mean, I could just cry for how relieved I am. But … Damn. I was willing to kill myself to save his life. I did so without an explanation. I don't know if I can face him. I don't know if he will forgive me.

He just goes and leans against the wall, staring at me. I continue to stare at the floor, occasionally looking up at the detective. I … I can't read his expression this time. It's stoic, impassive, simply watching me. Drilling holes into my soul …

"Ryuzaki, why are you here?" I croak, not looking up.

"Why do you think?" his voice is calm, but I flinch.

"Did you find it then?"

"You mentioned that," he whispers, walking over to me. He stares me straight in the eyes, and I stare right back. "Why did you do that?"

"I can't say," I reply.

This is just like last time, I realize.

_"Light wiped your hard-drive,"_ Vile says, effectively ruining the previously serious mood. I glare over at him.

"Shut up, will you? You're not helping," I say, rolling my eyes in his general direction. L's gaze follows mine, and then he looks back at me with a curious expression. "Anyway, he's looking for it, so you'll have to be quick. Ask Makoto is you need help. This is really important."

"Who do you mean by 'he'?"

"Light of course. Both you and I know who he _really_ is, Ryuzaki."

"And how can I trust your word?" he growls.

Oh … now I see. I've hurt him deeply in doing what I did. He's fucking _angry_ now.

"Being insane is not the same thing as being delusional," I hiss.

"You find it perfectly acceptable to talk to your hallucinations though."

"He's actually not a hallucination. I couldn't come up with something as annoying as him," I shoot a glare at him.

"It's male?"

"Well, as far as I know. I don't think they reproduce."

_"No, we don't. Gender's more of a choice than anything else," _Vile chuckles to himself.

"Well that's a useless piece of information," I roll my eyes.

"You see something there, yet you insist that it's not a hallucination. How do you know?"

Again, I roll my eyes, "It's because he's been following me around for almost a year now. He can be a real pain in the ass, but he does provide comic relief once in a while."

"Well, what is it then?"

"A lizard?" I chuckle and dip my head so that my eyes are hid behind my bangs. "Trust me, you'd rather not know. Just go find what I left for you. You'll be able to solve your puzzle."

I continued to chuckle absently with Vile. L stares at me with wide eyes, almost disbelieving. They ended up having to drag him out of there when my laughing escalated and they needed to sedate me again. 

* * *

><p>With a roll of my eyes, I put down the pencil with a 'click' of finality. I've had enough with their stupid tests and their stupid puzzles.<p>

It's been roughly three hours since I got in here. I've slowly been getting less and less 'crazy'. Apparently I haven't attacked anyone since I came back to coherent thought. That's pretty good. However, they haven't deemed me ready to leave the damn facility.

Some guy comes in and takes all the tests that they had given me and leaves. Without even saying hello … I pout in a childish manner and slump my shoulders. Roughly ten minutes later a guy with a clipboard comes in and takes a seat across from me at the metal desk (bolted to the floor).

"Hello Kurai, how are you doing?" he starts. I look up at him, still frowning and attempting to drill holes through him with my eyes. I can see his disdain, discomfort and annoyance in his body language. "Thank you for writing all those tests. I can imagine that you aren't very comfortable sitting here. Would you like to join me in my office for a conversation?"

I frown even more, "You don't have to treat me like a wayward child. I can understand you perfectly well. Insanity is not the same thing as stupidity."

There's a slight glint in his eyes from behind his glasses and his smile falters slightly. So I've hit a nerve …

"Although, having said that, I am uncomfortable sitting here." 

* * *

><p>They take off the padded shackle around my ankles and cuff my wrists together. A large beefy nurse with a syringe at the ready leads me by the elbow down the hall towards the doctor's office.<p>

I'm thrust inside the room and lab-coat guy follows closely. He crosses the room to his desk and takes a seat. He then motions with his hand to the chair in front of his desk. Warily, I take a seat.

"So, what did you want to talk about Doc?"

"I'm curious about your test results."

"This hasn't been the first time someone's been interested in them," I give him a small grin before frowning.

"Hmm, well, your information attaining skills are quite exemplary."

"Thanks."

"What really intrigues me is your reasoning ability and problem solving skills. They're off the charts."

"Alright."

"In fact, you could be classified as a genius."

"Okay."

The doctor frowns at me and stares through his glasses, "You are taking this quite well."

I give a small shrug, "Not to sound arrogant, but I kind of know that. This isn't really new to me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, in fact, would you like an example?"

"That would be appreciated."

I give a grin, "Firstly, you do not take your job seriously. You're a teacher by trade, an avid golfer, wannabe hunter and marksman. You're a smoker. You're currently going through a divorce," I give a pause and give a small sniff, "caused by you. You are a rather studious man, always eager to prove yourself to the higher-ups. You're very vain and put much emphasis on appearances."

The man stares at me like I was some sort of psychic, "H-how?"

I give a large grin and lean back in the chair, "Well, you do not take your job seriously by the casual tone and simple disregard of me. You're a teacher because I can quite clearly see your master's degree on the wall; next to your psychology degree. You are not working in a school, so you are unhappy to be working with mental patients – another reason to not like your job."

"Well, what about the other stuff?" he huffed, staring at me.

"There's a pin on the shirt under the doctor's coat. You have a membership to a country club; this club gave you their pin. Also, your pen has a miniature golf-ball on the end of it," I nod at the pen in his cup-holder, "An amateur hunter because that deer head on the wall is fake, not to mention creeping the hell out of me. There's a small indent on your ring finger, probably caused from a ring being there for a number of years. In your later age you became tired of the routine and cheated. I can tell this because of the prominent stench of perfume in the air. This is combined with the smell of tobacco, which means that either you or your girlfriend smoke. I guessed it was you. Your office is very neat and tidy, filled with books on various topics, mostly psychology. As I've said before, you're a teacher. Being a teacher requires you to be studious. By filling your office with books related to your job and nothing of your interests is a way to project your dedication, or false dedication. You're vain, because I can see a thin hairline underneath your wig. Instead of dying your hair, which would be considered 'girly' in your opinion, you bought a wig to hide the greyness in your hair. You are wearing expensive clothing under your coat. On the matter of the books, you projected dedication to keep up an appearance." I smile almost sweetly at him as he sits gasping at me like a fish.

"You could tell all that, out of the smallest details?" he finally found his voice.

"Most of it is assumption. There were percentages in the favor of what I just told you. It seems that I was right though."

"In the span of a few minutes …"

"When I want to, I can be quite perceptive," I give another grin. I just pulled a Sherlock Holmes on him. It's exactly the kind of thing that he did in his books. Arthur Conan had it pretty close.

There are some key differences on how the world works. The method works wonders though. 

* * *

><p>"What is so amusing to you?" L asks me. He's sitting against the wall in my little room. This is his second visit since I came here. Makoto and Kakushin came and visited me (there was much crying), but I couldn't tell them anything. I was in another silent bout. I only said a few words the entire time.<p>

"The fact that I pulled a classic Sherlock Holmes on a psychologist here," I chuckle to myself. It's been a few days since the incident. I haven't seen the guy since – probably too scared. I've been laughing at it the entire time. Well, in bouts.

"Is that so?"

"I pretty much told him his life story. Hey, what time is it?"

"3:43 PM."

"Oh, that's too bad."

"Why?"

"Well, between you and me, he was due today," I give a small sigh, "I hope that he's worked out things with his wife."

"What do you mean by he was due today?" L looks at me curiously, thumb hanging on the corner of his lip.

"To die," my expression softens, "It's quite sad really. Once you learn more about a person, you end up regretting that you have the knowledge." I then shrug, "Oh well, it's not like I haven't gotten used to it."

L openly stares at me, horror in his black eyes. I give him an insane smirk. "Confused are we?" I look over at my Shinigami. "What do you think, should we tell him?" Vile just shrugs. "Some help you are."

"Tell me what exactly?" L gets to his feet and crosses the room to stand next to where I'm chained to the bed.

"I can see things, Ryuzaki, things that you wouldn't imagine. I've seen them for years, and I know that I'm not insane to see these things."

"What things?" he looms over me.

"They're shining red letters and numbers, floating above every single person's head. From it, I can tell three things," I give a chuckle, "I can tell when a person is destined to die, whether they have Kira's power, and the last one, the piece of information that you probably wouldn't expect me to have."

He stares holes at me, daring me to tell him.

"Above everyone's head, spelt out in red letters, is their lifespan, and their _name_," I start chuckling again, "You see why I tried to kill myself? I'm the only other one who knows your _real_ name. Kira wants it _desperately_. The Second Kira had eyes like mine, and that's how they were able to kill with only a face. You still need the name; it's the method of attaining it that's different," I start openly laughing.

L looks completely and utterly shocked for a total of five seconds. He then reigns in his surprise, and glares holes at me. "How do I know that you're being honest with me? How do I know that you're not just hallucinating?" he growls.

"Come closer, I won't hurt you." He dips his head towards me.

"Closer," I end up raising my wrists and placing them next to his neck and dragging his head forward with the handcuffs. I then quietly whisper in his ear that tiny piece of information that I knew would cause him to be in a daze for the next week or so.

I tell him his own name.

When he draws back, his eyes are huge. He is visibly shaking. He never expected it in a million years. I start laughing quietly. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I've said it before, and now it's sounding like a mantra. Kurai's family backstory sounds really fishy. I KNOW THIS. At first I just drafted it because I needed her backstory and it was done really quickly, then shoved off to the side. I'm thinking about doing a short story, maybe three or four chapters, on that whole subject, because it's a lot bigger than it looks now that I've tossed it around in my head and let my cruel rationale chew it up and spit it back out. It actually makes sense in context, but in RED it looks like garbage. It even gives Vile and Kuru credible backstories! Especially because Vile's actions in this chapter and the next few chapters don't sound very SHINIGAMI-ish. Totally a reason, there is.

On another note I like to make Sherlock Holmes references, and I mean, how could you NOT with something like this. Yes, I watch BBC Sherlock, but I've also read one of the books, and it's just great. I don't think I bothered to touch that big huge blurb of Kurai's speech when I was going through this chapter though, too lazy, and it's not even a MAJOR plot device, just a smaller one.

So, see you when I decide to post the next two chapters, because I'm going to post the end into two parts, each with two chapters. A little symbolic on my end because RED is now two chapters longer! Horray!

Goodnight, I'm going to die because of sleep deficiency.

- DW


	31. The World

**Chapter Thirty-One - **_The World  
><em>

_History grows  
><em>_And history lives.  
><em>_Written in the ink of  
><em>_Blood._

* * *

><p>"Are you ready?" I ask, standing in the middle of my little gray room, looking out the windows at the moon.<p>

My Shinigami lurks in the dark corner, watching me with red eyes. _"Yeah, but you owe me."_

"Vile, your reward will be staying with me after this is all over."

_"I could kill you now, you know."_

"You won't."

He bristles silently, and I only smile. It's been fascinating, learning what makes him tick. Shinigami are much different than humans, but there are a few things that we have in common. Or maybe it's just that I have so much in common with him. Either way, I've figured out how to get him to work with me.

"Let's go then."

* * *

><p>L was stumped.<p>

He had no idea what was going on. Something was happening right underneath his nose, just out of his sight. It had been happening the entire time, and he _really_ didn't like it. How did he miss something so large and important?

She was one of them.

Of course, not in the sense that he had first thought of, he'd concluded; she wasn't Kira or an incarnation of the fiend. Instead she was just someone who shared the power, and that was how she knew things that he _didn't_. It was how the investigation had advanced in a direction that could lead to Kira's arrest.

She had known that Light was Kira the entire time.

Her actions were based on Light being Kira.

Was that message in March made for her specifically? When she had 'run into' him after the January exams, had they somehow identified each other as holders of the same power? And what was this power in the first place? She said she wasn't hallucinating, and he was inclined to believe her after the impressive display of ability she's demonstrated. She'd predicted the time of a man's death and had told him his own _name_.

She'd known that too.

… Light must have known that, he discovered. Kira knew that she knew his name. Obviously he'd threatened her somehow and … she had attempted to kill herself.

The thought was oddly humbling.

So what had she left for him? She'd said to ask Makoto for help …

"Hey, are you alright?"

A voice shook him out of his contemplation. L's gaze shifted over to the source of all his current problems: Light, or as he was better known, Kira. His eyes narrowed. The young man was watching him with a strange look in his eyes, something that L was having trouble identifying. He didn't like it.

"Donju," he suddenly called, turning his chair around to look at the teenager who was just walking into the building. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes and a sag in his shoulders.

"Yeah?" he replied, blinking tiredly and shaking his head before approaching the detective. L pulled his phone from his pocket, the one that Kurai had texted just before she tried to jump. He hadn't deleted it, not yet.

"What do you make of this?" he asked, showing it to the boy. Makoto took it in his hand and read it, frowning a little more.

"Did she send this right before …?"

"Yes."

"Are you looking for it then?"

"Yes."

Makoto scowled, re-reading it several times. He was deep in thought, and then suddenly, like the sun emerging from the clouds, Makoto smiled. "Oh, I see what she did. She's _good_, really good!" he laughed.

They'd captured the attention of the rest of the Task Force, who were now huddled around in a small circle. Makoto passed the phone around before turning to the detective. "Can I use your computer for a moment? I think I'll be able to find what she left."

Silence dominated the room.

"Left something, what do you mean?" Aizawa asked, confused.

"Yeah, I mean, we looked at her computer and stuff, there was nothing there," Matsuda added.

"She was under the impression that she was going to _die_, but from that message that she sent hardly a minute prior to her jump I can only assume that it's of vital importance. Niiro confirmed this theory when I spoke with her …" L said, looking Makoto right in the eyes.

"This is something that she'd do," the brunette chuckled, "She's way too invested in this case, so I guess the only reason she'd do that is if she had no other choice. However …" Makoto strolled up to L's computer as he spoke. The detective pushed his chair out of the way to give the hacker access.

It didn't take Makoto too long to find what he needed to find. "She'd never leave you without the solution to the problem. She's a quick learner, Kurai. I've been showing her a few things this past year, so she used that …" He clicked the final key with finality, turning around to present it with a flare. On the computer screen was a game of chess. It was set to a certain pattern, as if the game was almost finished.

Makoto then stepped aside to give L room, "She's written a virus attached to the program. Just enter the right combination and you'll have access to all that she left behind for you."

The Task Force's eyes, including Light's, widened considerably.

"That's incredible …" Matsuda breathed.

L evaluated the game for a minute; his eyes darted back and forth across the board, soaking in the positions and possible movements. He then made his move. Afterwards he made three more moves, and was declared the winner.

Everyone watched in surprise as windows started appearing rapidly, filling up the screen. L was stunned, watching as all the files suddenly appeared. There were more than he knew what to do with. They must have been all the evidence she'd collected, all for Light being Kira.

"Is that all evidence?" Mr. Yagami asked as all of them crowded around the computer, reading small glimpses of text and file names.

"She's dedicated to this case, so it's not really a surprise that she did all she could before …" Makoto said, wincing in memory. They all agreed.

And just when they thought they'd seen it all, one last window opened up, and a video immediately started playing.

There was some coughing and the screen blurred before Kurai came into view. Judging by her clothes the video was taken the same day that she attempted suicide. The Task Force watched in awe. _"Alright, good job in finding the files. At this time it's about …"_ she checked the time on her phone, _"seven hours until the deadline, though by the time you watch this I should be dead, because if I live it means that my plan failed horribly and we're probably _all_ about to die, so no pressure there."_ She then smiled and laughed ruefully and ran a hand through her hair.

_"I'm going to address you specifically, Ryuzaki, because all the information that I've included will be most useful to you anyway. Now, what I'm about to say will most likely make no sense whatsoever, but please bear with me, this could end the case."_

Jaws dropped.

_"I'm sure that you know by now that I'm a huge liar and I've tugged you along at some points. You didn't need to know at the time, but I've hit a bit of a roadblock and I can't get around it … so I'm going to sound absolutely crazy and I don't blame you for thinking that I've all imagined this."_

She went quiet, staring sadly at her hands.

The Task Force was utterly confused at what she was saying. Brows were raised and others looked at the screen with suspicion. They waited on bated breath for her to continue.

_"You remember when I told you that 'Shinigami' was only a code that Kira used?"_

_ Yes, I remember, _L thought, the memories of her smacking him on the head and telling him to get his act together still fresh._ She looked so worried._

"_Well … I lied. The Second Kira was speaking _literally_. They _exist _and _fuck_, are they lazy, which is why so few have ever come here, and I suppose that's a good thing. This isn't the first time they've come to this world with their power and it definitely won't be the last," _she paused, her brow furrowed, looking as though she was formatting her next words. _"It's how Kira can only kill with a name and a face without even having to see his victim die. It's also how he can control his victims and how he can kill in more ways than one. A heart attack is the default cause of death, it's not because he can _only_ kill in that way. I think I may have proven that with Naomi …"_

She laughed once again and shook her head.

_"With the last little bit you should piece together the whole picture. I've practically handed you Kira at this point. Please don't show this video to Mr. Yagami, because he's going to be heartbroken when he hears this, but Light _is_ Kira, and has _always _been Kira. He knows very well that I also have the ability, but am unwilling to use it. However, my … ah, _other_ ability is more of a drawback at this time, and it isn't actually my fault that I have it, blame my father for that one, but it means that I have information that he wants, and he basically gave me the ultimatum. So I'm going to kill myself and leave you with what you need to end the case."_

_ She knows my name. _

Mr. Yagami collapsed onto the ground, but he thankfully wasn't having another heart attack. He was just majorly overwhelmed by the information. He didn't want to believe that Light was Kira; he desperately wished that she was wrong.

The other's thoughts were very similar.

_ "Oh, one more thing, it's about the Second Kira. I took care of them months ago. They have no memory of ever being Kira. That's the thing with this ability, and why it's a _physical object. _This power can pass from one person to another, and that's why humans can come into possession of it when a Shinigami gets bored enough and drops by our world. Light happened on this power, and when presented by the overwhelming possibilities he just sort of … well, I can imagine you know what that means. When I was presented with it I thought I was going crazy! Still, I've had the eyes for many years, and that's why I can't bear the thought of killing another person. I can tell when people are to die … but Kira … he can kill people before that time."_

She was crying, and seemed to realize it. She quickly wiped away stray tears.

_"So that should pretty much cover it … I've had loads of fun, even though that's pretty inappropriate considering the circumstances … Say goodbye for me to Kakushin, Makoto and the Task Force. I don't know if there's an afterlife, and he's really not helping at this point," _she gestured over her shoulder, _"so I'll take my leave. See you all later."_

She leaned over to shut the recording off.

Everyone in the room stayed silent and still, soaking in the new information. They all experienced varying ranges of dismay to horror, just blown away by the revelations. They had no idea what to make of it.

L especially was dealing with inner turmoil. If anything, he was lucky to be alive. He turned around to face Makoto, who was in a similar state of shock at his friend's words.

"Donju, what do you know about this?"

They all focused on the teen, similar questions waiting. "More than I should, honestly," he admitted. "I don't know everything, but I know enough to answer some of your questions. It seems like she was okay with telling you …"

"Thank you," L said, frowning in thought. Things just got a_ lot_ more complicated.

"Hey, where's Light?" Matsuda suddenly said. Everyone startled before realizing that Light had indeed slipped away when they were all preoccupied by the video.

L's eyes narrowed.

Something was going to happen.

Something was very wrong.

* * *

><p>I laugh gleefully, skipping down the hallway with the keys jingling in my hands. I've been bad … they could probably have me arrested for this! At the moment I have more pressing matters to attend to, so that's the least of my problems.<p>

The fire alarm blares loudly, and in the other side of the building all the patients are being evacuated by the asylum's staff. I can feel the heat of the flames to my back. There's nothing that a mixture of household chemicals can't do, especially when I need a decent sized explosion.

It burns, and the bells are very loud tonight.

My chuckles turn maniacal when I burst out of the building, a chain reaction setting off in the hallway that I was just in. The door just protects me from it, but I can feel a little shockwave pass through the air.

"Fantastic," I shake my head and wonder why everyday can't be so exciting.

I begin trekking back to the city, whistling the whole while and twirling the key loop on my fingers. The coat that I nicked is too big for me, but still reasonably comfortable. It's a little chilly out, being how late in the year as it is. That's just fine and all, I probably have a chemical burn or two on my hand anyway, and my back feels roasted. On the plus side my injuries are not severe.

It's time to end this once and for all.

* * *

><p>He was personified rage - completely livid. Even his Shinigami was scared now, and he didn't even care because he was so angry.<p>

_How dare that bitch defy god … defy me. She has to die. Evidence be damned, I'll kill L with my _hands_ if I have to._

Light Yagami was on a fucking _warpath_. Destruction and decay were dogging his footsteps, his eye tainted with malice and mania. Lives meant nothing anymore. Anyone who got in his way would die instantly, and it would start with her.

Oh, but he wanted to_ see_ her die. He wanted her to know that he'd won as the life faded from her body. He wanted her to know that she was _scum_, and that he was _God, _and that her futile attempts meant absolutely **nothing!**

And as soon as she was dead he was going to drag her corpse back to the Task Force headquarters, where he would show his colleagues before he killed each and every one of them. They were all going to die in disgrace.

This was the day that the world would change forever.

* * *

><p>Vile huffed, shivering. All his scales shifted to look like the ruffling of feathers when they caught the light. Drool slipped past the gaps in his teeth, dripping to the ground. His claws twitched, itching. He was so very angry, but he was so very entertained. He loved it, to be honest.<p>

He hated that he didn't mind at all.

His human … she was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen. She was right, painfully so – he wasn't going to kill her just yet, and he was going to help her whether he liked it or not.

_Damn her._

The climax had arrived.

It was his turn now.

* * *

><p>Headlights of passing cars melted in the darkness of the night. Chill smog dampened bones. The grass was wet with dew and the beginnings of frost. Her breath was visible as she walked, an insane smile forming her lips. Her eyes were wide with wonder and imagination, but they had a brutal edge to them. The crazies walked that night.<p>

She stopped in her path when she saw the distant glimmer of red – a name. Her grin grew. The girl couldn't read it, not yet, but she knew very well who it was. She could feel it in the very core of her being, in how her body shivered with anticipation and her breath caught in terror. The devil himself was approaching.

He stopped just far enough away so that she could see his face. Her heart pounded roughly in her chest, and she counted every thump. He watched her, fury and wrath and rage dancing in his gaze. A passing car sent a gust of wind in her face, ruffling her hair and illuminating the crimson of her irises.

"Red," he said finally, addressing the girl in question.

"Kira," she replied, her voice trembling with excitement.

The World was changing beneath their feet. They were writing history.


	32. Kira

**Chapter Thirty-Two - **_Kira  
><em>

_We sin.  
><em>_Sin whispers.  
><em>_Whispers from the mouth  
><em>_Of Demons.  
><em>_The Angel of Death cries._

* * *

><p>"<em>He's really done it this time, that bastard,"<em> the clown-faced Shinigami complained to his silent companion. _"It's too bad it has to end now, I was having so much fun!"_

"_He has his own reasons for ending this, Ryuk,"_ Kuru, the bear Shinigami, deadpanned.

"_But he's had plenty of time down here. It's my turn."_

"_Then why don't you go help your human?" _

"_Nah, that would be too much work."_

"_You're hopeless, you know that?"_

…

"_I have a question for you."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Are you going to go back to the Shinigami realm when this is all over?"_

The bear was silent for a few moments, contemplating the thought. _"I think I will. Vile will be in good hands."_

"_His human?"_

Kuru laughed, shaking his large head, _"It's more like he belongs to_ her."

* * *

><p>Makoto shivered, his spine tingling with a semi-familiar sensation. Loud breathing caught his attention, and he slowly turned around, eyes widening. The Task Force watched his sudden change in demeanor, their own voices halting when they noticed his disquiet.<p>

L especially was intrigued by his sudden change in attitude. He watched as the teen's eyes flashed with recognition and a little bit of fear. He was staring at thin air.

The Shinigami Vile slowly opened his bone-plated maw, strings of saliva oozing out. He then pulled something out from under his tongue, which had been the cause of his extra drool. The cellphone was coated in a layer of spit, but that wasn't really important.

Makoto's eyes widened, realizing the implications immediately.

The Task Force jumped in shock as a phone materialized in mid-air, hovering above the ground and dripping with a wet substance.

"Why are you here?" Makoto asked, sounding reasonably confident, as though he'd spoken with whatever it was beforehand. L watched intently, leaning forward in his seat in trying to catch even a glimpse.

"_I think you know that by now," _the Shinigami chortled before tossing the phone carelessly at his human's friend. Makoto caught it between his hands with ease, grimacing at the viscous fluid coating it.

"I-Is there a Shinigami there?" Matsuda stuttered, absolutely terrified and hiding behind a disgruntled Aizawa.

"Yep," Makoto replied, before wiping off the phone and flipping it open. After a few clicks of the buttons he gasped in surprise. "No way …"

"What is it?" Ryuzaki questioned the teen, jumping to his feet and invading the hacker's personal space. Makoto frowned before handing the sticky phone over to the eccentric sleuth. L took it delicately in his thumbs and forefingers, scanning the text quickly.

"What's going on?" Mr. Yagami asked.

"We need to leave, _now_, and bring your guns," L said gravely.

* * *

><p>"I was going to give you one last chance to join me, but after that stunt, that's not going to work, isn't it?" Light calls over the roar of traffic, hands deep in his pockets.<p>

"Not a chance," I reply, eyes shining in the near-darkness. The air smells like smoke.

"If you're all the way out here, then you must be ready to die, right?" A grin spreads across his face to match mine. If I wasn't so giddy he'd be terribly threatening.

"I've been ready to die the entire time, Kira, I just don't generally count on it," I snicker.

He scowls, lip twitching in a snarl. I can practically feel the hatred radiating off of him. I am provoking him deliberately. Ho boy, I haven't had this much fun in a _long_ time.

"So you're here to kill me, are you?" I chuckle, watching as a fire truck screams down the road beside us. That must be for the asylum that I may have, ah, _accidentally_ set fire to. "It's not like I didn't expect that. You were planning to do that anyway."

"There's nothing you can do about it either. I told you that I've won."

I laugh outright, nearly howling. His eyes crackle and his whole body seems to twitch. I'm sure he wants to slaughter me in the most painful way he can, though he hasn't made his move just yet.

"You know what, Kira? I came to an important conclusion during this case."

"You're just stalling, Red."

"Maybe so, but you want to hear me speak."

He twitches.

"So, anyway, back to what I was saying before you interrupted me, I've come to an incredibly important conclusion, one that really put everything into perspective. I hadn't even considered it before, and of course Kakushin helped out a little when she yelled at me," I laugh awkwardly, remembering how angry she had been. She'd accused me of things that were entirely justified and absolutely true.

Blew me out of the water!

"We are so alike that it's scary, you know? We'd do anything, well, _almost_ anything to get what we want. Don't you agree, Kira?"

"Get to the point," he growls.

"We treat this like a game. It's never really been about your perfect world, L's justice or my morals. It's always been a game to us, nothing more, and nothing less. I think all of us know this on one level or another."

Light looks shocked, and I don't mean the kind of shocked when your parents turn up for a surprise visit, I mean that I completely flipped his world around. His eyes glaze over for a few moments, and they look bloody in the dim light of pre-dawn. Look at you Kira, a demon in your own right, birthed from the boredom of a chained teenager, and now you're looking in a mirror.

I would call you God of Death, but you are no God. You're a serial killer, a mass murderer. The title 'demon' fits more.

And what does that make me, someone who took his offer of a battle for the world – someone who made the people of this life my pawns?

It makes me selfish.

So now it's my job to end this.

Kira's eyes sharpen, but he seems more amused than anything else. His shoulders slump and for the first time since I've known him, he laughs. It comes from the bottom of his stomach and it's absolutely genuine. This surprises me, as I wasn't expecting it. I'd hoped that he would be angry and charge me.

My hand tightens on the gun hidden in my oversized pocket.

"You know, Red, you're right," he chuckles, calming down to stare me right in the eyes. I do not falter, but I do not move either. "This is a game, between the three of us. You've been good playmates, you and Ryuzaki. Although I'm surprised that he's given you so much free reign. How'd you do it?"

I gape for a moment before smiling ruefully, "Trust." They must have found my video by now, and I feel as though I betrayed them. I hope you won't hate me after this is all over, L. I've enjoyed being your friend.

Light laughs again, "That's ironic, coming from you, the woman who has told the most lies. Nobody's been able to read your cards, not even the 'World's Greatest Detective'. You've played him."

I flinch. He's turning this around.

"No, he just didn't want to look."

He laughs, but it sends chills up and down my spine. The sensation thrills me, but I still have the bitter aftertaste of guilt in my mouth. Light stalks forward until we're almost touching. His eyes are crimson to match mine, and he stares me down with intense bloodlust. I can feel his hot breath against my skin.

"I've come to my own conclusion, Red. I agree that this is a game, and that's why it's going to be all the more satisfying to kill you," he growls in my face.

"Why?" I whisper, daring him with my eyes to continue. Go on. Make your move, **KIRA**. Kill me if you can! I fucking _dare_ you!

"Killing you is what I _want_ to do and not what I _have_ to do."

"I'm glad we agree on something then."

He does something that surprises me again. Light hugs me, his chin settling on my shoulder and arms tight around my body. My breathing stops and I tremble in his embrace. The fabric of his jacket is rough against my collar bones. His hair tickles the side of my face. I can almost smell the blood that he's bathed in.

He's warm.

I hear a small click, and my eyes narrow. My instincts are screaming at me right now, and despite myself I can't help but grin. I pull the gun from my pocket and press it against his navel, my finger feathering the trigger. "Take off your watch and drop it on the ground."

He chuckles, "So that's why you're so confident."

"It never hurts to have insurance."

"So it seems," he mumbles, and I hear a heavy thud, signaling that the watch is on the ground.

We're silent for a few moments, neither willing to give way. We're both incredibly stubborn, to our last shuddering, helpless breath. His fingers clutch at the back of the jacket I stole, digging painfully into my skin. I jab at his stomach with the barrel.

"You're not going to kill me," he hisses.

"Are you sure?" I reply with similar venom.

Dawn breaks in a flash of brilliance, temporarily blinding us both. And in a moment of shock and horror, but one of action and instance, he kisses me.

* * *

><p>The shadow of death looms, the numbers ticking down to the ultimatum.<p>

The bells ring extra loudly that day.

* * *

><p>Matsuda watched the other members of the Task Force in concern.<p>

Aizawa and Mogi were staring at their hands, eyes distant. They were thinking over everything that had happened the past year, their actions and the actions of those around them. There was tremendous grief in them, in the revelations of the truth and what they were on their way to do.

Mr. Yagami looked ready to have another heart attack. He seemed a lot older than he actually was in that moment and Matsuda didn't blame him. The Chief had just learned that his son was the most infamous mass murderer in history, his campaign spreading terror through the world and the trail of bodies rivaling that of a war. Matsuda respected him even more than he already did in that moment – he must be incredibly strong to be able to even function with the revelation.

Matsuda himself hadn't even begun to suspect that Light was Kira, but then again, no one really did. Only Red and L did, and they were the ones leading them forward.

Of course she had been working behind the curtains, lying to all of them, but she was a key player regardless.

And then there was L. Matsuda couldn't read the elusive detective, not when he was like that. He'd gone into a frenzy after reading whatever was on that phone. But now he had recoiled into his shell, thinking. His eyes were glassy and his thumb had started bleeding.

They were all afraid of what they might find.

* * *

><p>It's warm and hot and messy, and I bite down on his tongue, hard enough to draw blood. He jerks and twists.<p>

_Bang!_

He roars in pain, like a wild beast – angry, enraged and vengeful. The demon lashes out at me with one hand, but he can't stand. I back away, watching without emotion now. It screams a screechy death cry, twisting and shuddering in agony. The poor thing, how it must **hate.**

Light clutches at the bullet wound in his side. Blood drips onto the ground, sticky and wet, pooling around his knees and staining everything red. The sunlight paints it copper, but the smell is unnerving and overpowering. My teeth ache, it makes me itch.

I watch as he huffs, his wild eyes lifting to meet mine. His composure is gone now, and I see the diseased animal that he's become.

It's time to put him down.

As I robotically shoot two more holes into him without expression, I can't help but inwardly pity the _thing_ in front of me. His fall from glory was not an easy one. Light was eventually a worthy opponent, though I take no pride in slaying this beast.

But it's alright. This is what I need to do. It's been my responsibility since I decided all those months ago – a whole year ago – that I wanted to help the investigation and take him down. I've been too caught up in my game, in my own emotions …

Oh, but I enjoy it, and that's why I'm so selfish. I've been more alive than I've ever been before, and I don't regret a single moment.

Light is still alive. He tries to drag himself forward, his bloodstained and shaking hands clutching at my ankles. He's a dead man walking; nothing more than a shell of his former self.

"You … I'll kill you … I'm god!" he tries to get to his knees.

In the end I can't put a bullet between his eyes.

I can hear sirens. The police have arrived, no doubt here to find out what is really going on. The third player comes to greet us in the final moments of this age. Light's hand snakes it's way around my neck, but he's so far gone that I don't even care. It tightens considerably – I can't breathe.

"Why can't you just _die_ already? You and your pet detective will burn in hell! I'm the _god_ of the new world! I am _Just_–"

He never gets the chance to finish. Light slumps against me, and all I can do is hold his body up. I look over to see Vile standing with the Task Force, his notebook open in his hand. I can't tell if he's smiling or not.

The others shout in shock, horror and disbelief. I don't blame them. Their words are meaningless to me, and motions blur. Mr. Yagami is crying, cradling his son in his arms. Aizawa has a gun pointed at me, shouting something I don't understand nor care to. Matsuda looks panicked, while Mogi is trying to deal with everything in his own, silent way.

My gaze instead focuses on L, who is walking towards me against the advice of one frantic Aizawa. He stops in front of me, his hand held out. My hands don't shake as I give him the gun.

"Is it over?" he asks me, cutting through the droning and buzzing around us.

"Yeah," I say as tears come.

I hug him, crying like I did when Light sent me a message with the bodies of the dead. This time it's not guilt or anguish. It's relief.

It's not a game. Lives are not to be played with.

But whether we like it or not, we've won.

* * *

><p><em>"I should hate you, but that was one hell of a show."<em>

_"You think so?"_

Ryuk watched the scene unfold, focusing on the body of his human in the arms of his father. Vile chuckled, closing his notebook and tying it back on his waist.

_"I can see why you want to stay here, I got to say I'm a little jealous,"_ the clown-faced Shinigami commented.

_"Don't be."_

_ "Humph."_

_"Maybe we'll meet again sometime Ryuk. Besides, in another century or two you could always try again."_

_"Yeah, maybe,"_ Ryuk chuckled before turning his back on his elder. Feathered wings sprouted from his back as he poised to take flight.

_ "Here,"_ Vile said, tossing a bright red apple over his shoulder. Ryuk startled, but caught it between his claws.

He stopped, but then his toothy grin widened, _"Light kept his notebook in one of his drawers. Tell your human that."_

Vile gave a chortle as the other Shinigami flew off.

He supposed it wasn't so bad. The war was over, but humans were violent creatures, there would always be another. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Almost done! Two more chapters to go. This chapter was completely rewritten, and while Light still gets shot three times, this is completely different than last time. :')


	33. Aftermath

**Chapter Thirty-Three - **_Aftermath  
><em>

_Clearing smoke,  
><em>_Nursing wounds.  
><em>_Count the dead,  
><em>_Embrace the survivors._

* * *

><p>I find it ironic that this ends with a funeral.<p>

(What was 'this' anyway?)

Everything started with my Father's demise, his little package arriving with a letter that spelled out certain doom. I still wonder about his motivation, and I still grieve over his ignorance and weakness. It's possible that I never really knew him in the first place, but I digress.

This time I do not grieve. I am not trying to hide my tears, because I _am_ crying. I'm not crying for the death of this man, though it certainly helps his family to think that I'm crying for him. His mother and little sister are wonderful people. I'm sure they would be severely hurt if they discovered I shot him three times.

Instead I am crying for the loss of possibility. I pity his soul, a soul tainted in blood. He was like me, he was like L – the three of us were, _are_, brilliant, but bored. We thrive on excitement and the thrill of adventure, that euphoria of adrenaline and a thundering heart.

If I grew up in different circumstances, would I have been a serial killer like him?

I can still taste his blood in my mouth, one whole month after that night on the side of the road. He was a demon in human skin. As his cold and lifeless body hidden away in that casket is lowered into the ground, I find a sense of peace washes over me. I've been given closure.

I wonder what the new age will bring us. I wonder what it will bring me.

Light's Death Note is cold against the skin of my stomach. Thanks to Ryuk's tip I was able to locate his murder weapon. I went to their house so that I could comfort his family before the funeral. They are under the impression that Kira killed their Light, and in a metaphorical sense this is true. Poor Sayu cried all over me, soaked my shirt through.

Mr. Yagami still watches me closely. I admire his strength through this ordeal. The Chief could very well be in denial, and I can't blame him for that. His inner turmoil is nearly visible, but he hides it very well. He's going to need serious therapy after this.

I think that he suspects me of many things, and it's true that I haven't been very honest. I only just got out of the asylum after many psychiatric evaluations and reevaluations. Between that was therapy sessions where different psychologists tried to talk to me about my problems, but what I really needed was not to talk, but to watch my adversary be buried. I was probably a real asshole to them, but they deemed me functioning.

They let me go this morning actually. I haven't seen anyone other than Light's family yet. I think the members of the Task Force that are here for the funeral are very surprised to see me, especially since they found me covered in his blood with a gun in my hand.

I have a lot of explaining to do, and I'll be happy to do it. This is a new age after all, with new rules and new expectations.

They begin to fill in the hole, sprinkling dirt on the casket that is Kira's final resting place.

Sitting on the tombstone, like a black angel, sits Ryuk. Kira's Shinigami (or is he my Shinigami now?) says farewell to his human in his own way, chuckling all the while. I wonder what's going through that clown's head.

On the other hand Vile lurks right behind me, and I can feel his breath against the top of my head while his clawed hands rest on my shoulders. He's almost protective, like my own Guardian of Death. It's ironic that he was also one to start and end this.

The heavens do not cry today.

* * *

><p>It's been a while since I saw the steel surfaces of Headquarters. They're just as clean and shiny as they've always been. I feel nostalgic walking in here again after so long being away. After the ceremony ended Mr. Yagami requested that we go back to headquarters so that I may … ah, <em>explain myself. <em>He looked rather upset.

As we walk in everyone else looks over their shoulders and gives me incredulous stares. I don't think they expected me to be out so soon. I mean, who would? I attempted suicide, lit a building on fire and shot a guy multiple times. Anyone would expect me to be a little fucked up on the inside. Hell,_ I_ expected that I would be a little fucked up. I'm absolutely fine, which I suppose is concerning, but I've found my peace and closure.

However, I am incredibly relieved when I look at Panda Face and don't see any trace of resentment. We both watch each other's body language, trying to read what the other is thinking. Our eye contact doesn't break even when everyone starts asking me questions.

Oh, but he has so many questions.

I then smile and pull out Light's Death Note from under my shirt. Everyone falls silent, their eyes drawn to the notebook with a black cover and white words sprawled in ink. It even gives off an eerie aura.

"W-What's that?" Matsu whispers in horror, half-started towards the door. I guess he's toying with the idea of running now.

"I found this in one of Light's drawers. He had one hell of a set up; I nearly lit the room on fire because of it!" I say with a light tone and drop it on the desk next to Ryuzaki. L watches it with a morbid fascination before his gaze flicks back to me.

"How did you know where to find it?"

"Ryuk left me a tip."

"And who's Ryuk?"

"Touch the book to find out," I chuckle.

He taps it delicately as though he's afraid it might hurt him. As soon as he does this he cranes his neck to stare in surprise at the Shinigami half melted into the shadows on the other side of the room. L gapes at it before swallowing harshly. I think his reaction was better than mine when I first saw Vile.

"Is that a Shinigami?" he asks, and I nod, confirming his fears.

The others are shocked, and I explain the basic rules of the Death Note. One by one they touch it, and their reactions vary. For some of them it erases any doubts they had. For some it completely shatters what they knew to be true or false. Matsu just screamed.

"Ryuk, do you mind if they ask you a few questions? I'll give you an apple."

He grins toothily and agrees.

Their questions focus on what happened to Light. Ryuk gives them absolute proof of Light's guilt, not that they needed it after they heard his insane rambling as he tried to strangle me. There are still bruises on my neck, though they've faded with time. Mr. Yagami begins to cry again.

After they question him they turn on me, and I answer all their questions in great stride. I start from the beginning and explain everything, including my own reasons and motivations. They believe me, which is an immense relief. L is absolutely fascinated.

Eventually we all come to a consensus on what to do next. Publically Light is not Kira, but Kira is dead, without a shadow a doubt. It's certain that L and I are going to take the fall for this when Kira's supporters go rabid. Fortunately we have secret identities, so they won't be able to follow us home and bludgeon us in our sleep. That would scare me.

And as I fetch an apple from the fridge and feed it to Light's Shinigami, while the Task Force continue to plan out the details, I smile contently.

* * *

><p>L and I watch intently as Mr. Yagami delivers his statement on the status of the Kira investigation. I don't think it's fair that he's the one to do it, but he insisted on it. That's probably his own way of letting go, to give himself the closure he needs. He's frayed, torn, but he continues to stand strong for his family if not himself. I admire that.<p>

As soon as the Chief declares the case closed and Kira defeated, the reporters go haywire. The only reason Mr. Yagami isn't attacked is because we had the foresight to assign a few officers to be body guards. Even through the screen I can see that his expression is strained as he retreats inside the Police Station.

"We're going to have to send a public message," I note as we flick through the different channels to see different angles of the same event. Watari comes around the couch to set down two mugs of coffee and a bowl of sugar cubes.

"We can't release any sensitive information," L replies, leaning forward to add a handful of sugar cubes to his own mug. I watch from the corner of my eye.

"Though we can denounce him as nothing more than a serial killer," I add. He does not reply. After a minute of watching news casters speculate on the meaning behind Mr. Yagami's words, I say something that really hasn't been said yet, "I'm going to burn Light's Death Note."

L looks at me with wide eyes, "Burn it?"

I nod, "It's what I did with the Second Kira's notebook."

He looks surprised, as though he didn't know they could be destroyed. "I see," he mumbles before looking over his shoulder at Ryuk, who's been watching the aftermath the entire while. He's uncomfortable with the Shinigami's presence, which is completely understandable. I got used to it only because I thought I was going crazy, and by the time I knew I wasn't, I was already accustomed.

I give a snort and shake my head, "I'll take care of it. You just focus on damage control."

That seems acceptable to him. 

* * *

><p>During the time that I was locked away with the crazies, my two best friends moved out … together. This astonishes me.<p>

I feel absolutely terrible that they were almost left behind in the excitement that the case brought. I was so absorbed in my work that I had little time for them. Because of the case they came to consider me a close friend, just as I consider them to be, and they were greatly hurt by my actions on the rooftop that night.

Today I came to somehow apologize and make up for what I'd done, but because of the shocking revelation that they were now roommates, I almost forgot what I'd come to do.

Basically I'd knocked on the door to Kakushin's apartment, and when Makoto answered the door, I asked him why he was there.

'_I live here,'_ he said with a deadpan.

Fortunately I managed to come to my senses and requested to enter. So now I'm standing obtusely in the tiny little living room, trying not to feel awkward as hell. They're my friends after all, even though I hurt them probably beyond repair.

They're important to me. While I used to be a recluse, now I can't imagine not having them in my life.

"Kurai, what are you doing here?" I hear Kakushin say in surprise. Her hair is still wet from taking a shower, but she immediately puts down her cellphone to give her full undivided attention to me. I shift my stance while trying not to make eye contact.

You'd think talking with an introverted insomniac who has a ridiculous IQ would be harder than saying 'I'm sorry' to your best friend.

Makoto leans on the doorframe leading into the Kitchen, watching us, while Kakushin fixes me a questioning stare. I fidget, even though it's not polite, before I blurt out, "I'm sorry!"

To my utmost surprise and even horror Kakushin's expression turns stony. I feel my heart sinking into the recesses of my stomach as cold dread overcomes me. In five words she completely crushes my hopes, "I don't want your apology."

She then brushes past both me and Makoto to storm into the kitchen. Makoto jumps out of the way before he's run over by his angry roommate and subsequently me. My jaw has hit the floor and I can only stare after her as she angrily pours herself a glass of water. "W-What?!" I stutter.

"Don't give me a 'what'!" she barks and I flinch. "You don't seriously think that you can just come here with those puppy dog eyes and say 'sorry', and everything will be _okay_, do you?!"

"Kakushin I'm really –"

"Shut up! Do you have _any idea_ what it's been like for us while you were off doing your stupid, crazy, dangerous shit?! I've been worried out of my mind! And you know what? _You_ dragged us into this stupid situation, made us care about you, and then you try to _kill yourself!_ _What the fuck!_"

I can only stare, shocked out of any sort of motor functions. I … I understand.

Shit.

"I'm so sorry, Kakushin … but can I at least explain?"

"You better," she hisses.

I look down at the floor before I deliver my one sentence explanation, "Light threatened to kill you."

"Really?" Makoto says, circling around me until he's standing next to Kakushin. Both stare at me as though I've turned blue.

I nod, "I don't think I'd be able to live knowing I caused your deaths. You're both very, very important to me. More than you know."

"God dammit," Kakushin growls, "Of course we know … I was just terrified." Now she looks sad, and soon enough she starts crying. Shit, what do I do, she's crying, she isn't supposed to be crying … "You can be a real bitch sometimes … and incredibly stupid. You should have come to us, or at least talked to L."

I shrug and nod, begging forgiveness through my eyes. "I probably wasn't thinking clearly."

"Damn straight! Next stop, asylum?" There's a touch of humor in her voice now, and I visibly relax.

"So are we good?" I ask.

She nods and smiles, wiping away the tears from her face.

The three of us continue to talk for the next couple of hours. We talk about the case, people we know, recent world news. I learn that the two of them have been dating for roughly a month, and that Kakushin relied heavily on Makoto after the stunt I pulled back in October. Eventually I get around to telling them about the night Light and I had our 'final showdown', and they can only gawk at me for a good five minutes.

We're back on good terms though, and while I can't promise them that I won't do anything stupid and reckless ever again, I am glad to have them at my side.

What would I do without them? 

* * *

><p>"I want to keep my memories."<p>

Makoto, Kuru and I stare at a very determined Kakushin. Recently the topic of her notebook came to question, and since Kuru is about ready to leave (leaving Vile to my care), he explained that she would lose the memories regarding the Death Note if she gave up ownership.

"Are you sure, I mean, we went through some really weird shit because of it. You don't have to carry that burden," I say, frowning. We're sitting in a mostly abandoned park, while Vile is off doing god knows what in the trees. He's probably scaring cats, who for some reason absolutely hate him.

"It's not a burden to me. They're my memories, and while I've never been so scared in my life, it's part of who I am now," she explains, and I do not see the happy go lucky teenager from senior grade. Instead I see Kakushin as a young woman who is comfortable with whom she is, and ready to face this new age.

"Is there anything you can do?" Makoto asks Kuru, and the bear Shinigami watches Kakushin with a twinkle in his green eyes.

_"Possibly."_

"Really?" she delights, and I smile at her enthusiasm.

He nods, before instructing her to announce that she's giving up ownership of her Death Note. He places his large paw on her head as she says this, her eyes shut tightly in apprehension. Makoto and I watch with curiosity, both of us wondering what's happening.

When she opens her eyes she looks up at Kuru with obvious confusion, "Did anything happen?" she asks.

The Shinigami chuckles before taking a few steps back from her. _"You no longer possess a Death Note,"_ he says before everyone looks at me.

I nod, "I can see her lifespan now." It goes without saying I don't bother reading its value.

She nods and with a watery grimace she looks up at the Shinigami that has been her companion the past year. "Thank you," she says, before giving her best cloud-splitting smile. I bet that Shinigami would have blushed if he could.

_"You're welcome,"_ he says with that deep baritone, before he looks right at me. _"Take care of Vile, he's a trouble maker."_

"Don't I know it," I chuckle.

We all say our goodbyes before large skeletal wings sprout from his back, and he flies off into the distance, back to his homeland. The three of us breathe a sigh of relief before leaning back into the bench to just enjoy the rest of the day.

And slowly the world is on its way to recovery, as are we.


	34. New Age

**Chapter Thirty-Four - **_New Age  
><em>

_The crowd counts,  
><em>_Shouts of joy and anticipation.  
><em>_Colour and light on the panes of windows and cloud.  
><em>_Clock hands join,  
><em>_Pointing, ringing, announcing, bringing  
><em>_The New Age._

* * *

><p>Somehow I am roped into having dinner with my family.<p>

Under normal circumstances I would have listened for roughly five minutes before subtly running for the door, hoping to avoid prolonged contact with anyone sharing my blood. The awkwardness of forced socializing is wholly evident through my body language and speech. The newer circumstances I've found myself in do not help with this, and if anything they've made it worse.

Yae and her family are completely in the dark, and because of this have come to their own conclusion about the mysterious matters that I've involved myself with. Unfortunately I cannot tell them a damn thing, which is why this evening is worse than usual, and why I can't leave without instigating a full on shouting match.

Evidently I am a terrible liar.

I couldn't help myself. Yae used her pleading look and said a few choice words to make me feel incredibly guilty about shutting my relatives out of my life. _'They're your family, and they're worried about you.' _/_ 'You're all they have left of Mom's brother.' _/_ 'You tried to kill yourself, how do you think they feel?'_

She's so manipulative … she knows _exactly_ what buttons to press with me.

Over all dinner is incredibly awkward and generally a silent affair. I hardly eat because my stomach is doing backflips. The only thing I can do to give me an excuse not to talk is drink water … lots of water.

Eventually after a good hour or so of no communication my Aunt starts crying.

I've never been good in this sort of situation – when it's _me_ who made a person cry. I panic, try to get them to stop and then say something either morally inappropriate or just plain insensitive. I do not have much charm or charisma when I am out of my element.

Eventually I manage to choke out a quick apology, and they look at me with wide eyes. They've never heard me say 'I'm sorry'.

"I wish that I could tell you everything, I really do, but I can't … so I'm sorry."

"What's so horrible that you can't tell us what happened?" my Uncle pleads.

I look sad when I reply, "If I told you, you'd understand … or you wouldn't believe me. But don't worry, I'm safe now. All of that is over."

"Why did you … why did you try to kill yourself?" My Aunt finally asks.

"If I didn't die, someone else would."

I think they understand.

* * *

><p>Yae decides that she'll drive me back to Kakushin's place. I've been staying with her since I got out of the asylum and patched things up, mainly because Headquarters are being transformed into a hotel like it was disguised as in the first place. I'll need to find myself an apartment.<p>

She has something to say, it's pretty damn obvious and really freaking distracting.

"Yae, stop thinking and ask the question already."

She glances at me in the mirror with a raised eyebrow, wondering how I knew she needed to get something off her chest. People who aren't totally conscious of their surroundings tend not to notice their own body language. This includes me.

"Can you please tell me what was going on?" she asks with wide eyes, just a little bit scared. Her tone pulls at my heart strings, and I grimace.

"I can't–"

"Yeah I know big secret and all. You can _trust_ me though; I won't tell a soul … I promise."

I laugh, shaking my head, and she looks incredibly miffed for a moment. "Even if I _did_ tell you I don't think you'd believe me."

"Try me."

"Do you promise to keep quiet, even if you think I'm still crazy?"

"… Yes."

I chuckle before whispering, "He's going to kill me for this … Fine, alright, I trust you. Remember, not a soul."

"Not a soul," she copies like a parrot. Now she's intrigued.

"I'm Red, the detective on the Kira case."

I swear she nearly crashes the car. "You're kidding me! YOU?!"

I nod, clutching the seat tightly enough that my knuckles turn white. I'm going to have to learn to drive.

"You mean … you … and Kira … and all of that stuff. Holy mother of fuck, for some twisted reason that makes a lot of sense."

I laugh.

"For how long?" she asks with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. I almost have to remind her to keep her eyes on the road.

"It happened shortly after my Father died. I'm not going into details though, so don't ask."

"So is the case really over then?" she asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. I think I heard that some of her friends are Kira cultists or something. Crazy people.

"Kira is dead," I say, memories flashing behind my eyes like a film, "I saw it happen."

"That must have been pretty intense," she shivers, "I probably shouldn't ask, but how did he kill?"

My expression turns frigid, and she seems surprised that I can actually become threatening. "You don't want to know."

Thankfully she doesn't press. "Thank you for telling me, it means a lot."

"Thanks for being there when I needed it."

"No problem."

I think that she will be, and is, a very important person in my life.

* * *

><p>We deemed it necessary to give our own speech to the public, and after careful consideration, we concluded that I should do it. Well, when I say careful consideration I mean L outright refused and pushed me into it. I think it has something to do with establishing myself as a high ranking detective among the international community. The sneaky bastard.<p>

I sit on the edge of the roof of the building that used to be my home, legs dangling between the bars of the guardrail, fiddling with Light's deadly silver watch. From this spot I can hear my message playing to the world. It's being broadcast everywhere, almost all at once. Within the next few hours it will be recorded permanently in history.

_"I am Red, and I'm addressing all of you because at least _one of us_ has to say _something_."_

I laugh to myself when I hear the synthetic voice echoing my speech through the streets. People have stopped what they were doing to look up at the jumbo screen, listening intently to what I have to say. One of the two detectives that managed to crack the Kira Case is speaking to the world. It's huge.

I wonder what the others are doing right now. Are they listening? Ryuzaki, Kakushin and Makoto may roll their eyes and think it typical of me to be sarcastic and even a little rude. The Task Force may balk and shake their heads; I can practically see Matsu's amused and exasperated grimace, or Aizawa's frown with a small sigh and a shake of his head. Maybe Yae is watching with keen interest, still shocked that her supposedly depressed younger cousin had been changing the world. Andrews is most likely laughing because whether I'm talking to a high ranking FBI agent or the _entire world_, I'm still exactly the same.

_"It was announced that Kira, who some of you worship as a _god_, has been brought to justice. It really depends on your opinion of justice on whether or not you are relieved or angry, and quite frankly that's not my problem."  
><em>  
>Oh, so many people are going to be mad at me. My fingers are cold from the lack of gloves and my hair keeps getting in my face because I really need a fucking haircut. There is no wind tonight and no clouds in the sky. The only activity is in the streets, but they've gone silent except for my words.<p>

_ "I'm speaking to all of you because Kira was no _god_, he was a human being. I don't care if he was doing it in the name of the greater good, and I don't care if the ends justify the means. Innocent people, and maybe people who are not so innocent, are _dead_ because of him."_

He was committing genocide, something that is internationally known as terrorism. And he _was _spreading terror, whether he knew it or not.

_"Kira was a hypocrite. In the end he became everything that he despised. As human beings we try to make our imperfect world fair and just, and while it's likely that we'll never achieve that, all we can do is _try._ I for one will not stand idle when a _murderer _tries to impose himself as a tyrant and there is something I can do about it."_

I can almost feel the shock ripping through the crowd. I certainly have balls to be able to say that. I guess it helps that I have a secret identity. Interpol is going to blow up at me and probably make demands, even though they've already offered me a lot of money to continue working on cases.

I think I'll accept.

_"What I ask is that you continue with your lives, trying to be as human as you can be. Kira's reign of terror is _over_, and we must strive for greater in this new age. And whether you've done bad or good, you're still human, which is something to be _proud_ of. I'm not really an optimist, but I can still hope, and I want you to be able to hope too. With each new day brings new possibility. Thank you, all of you, for just being alive."_

It's weird, hearing it when I'm not saying it. I'm also saying it to myself. It's a promise to who I will be, who I was, and everyone I touch. I've touched the world. I'm going to start living my life for myself and the people I love, instead of just existing and being the observing bystander. It's so much more fun that way.

I'll need to finish college and get myself a job. It's funny how it works that way. I never even seriously thought about what would happen when the case was over. I almost expected that I would die during its progression. I betted my life the moment I decided to pursue Kira. Though I did tell the Task Force that I wanted to be a Journalist, and this is true.

L will be leaving shortly. I don't know how I'll handle that. We've grown very close during the investigation, to the point that I would gladly take a bullet for him (or jump to my death). I'm sure it's the same for him. I will miss him terribly when he leaves.

I'm still not used to not hearing the clicks of his keyboard as I fall asleep (as I generally slept on the couch instead of my room). I'm not used to waking up and only having to make one cup of coffee (us the caffeine addicts). I'm not used to not hearing his comments on my thoughts when I voice them out loud (I don't like hearing an empty room in reply). Fuck I'll even miss the candy wrappers found unexpectedly in the weirdest of places and the smell of sugar that tends to seep into our clothes.

It didn't matter much when I was in the asylum, as I was very well aware of the situation. Now I've been waking up on Kakushin's couch and I vaguely wonder where the hell I am while I register my surroundings. This is going to take time to get used to.

I'm losing my best friend here.

Alas, there is little choice in the matter.

I stand up, stretching like a cat and making a content sound in the back of my throat. My head hasn't felt this clear in months. My heart is the same way. I turn my back to the skyline to address the two Shinigami behind me. They've been listening to my speech.

"I guess this is goodbye, Ryuk," I say, taking Light's Death Note from my sweater pocket.

_"Yeah, though I kind of want to stay. You humans have great apples."_

I laugh, the ridiculousness is mind boggling. On some level I understand Shinigami, but this one is just thick. I swear all he's interested in is apples. Though I know that's not true or he wouldn't have dropped the Death Note in my hand in the first place, the thing that instigated the whole mess.

With a shake of my head I drop it on the ground and take out a lighter.

_"Just get out of here, Ryuk,"_ Vile says with a teasing voice, something I've learned to identify in the year I've known him.

_"Yeah, yeah, don't press me. I'm going to go steal apples before I go, so don't wait up for me."_ He doesn't have another Death Note to spare, so by burning this one he won't be coming back any time soon. When he's done talking about his apples he spreads his feathery wings, gives us a small wave and takes off into the sky. I watch, still laughing as he disappears into the city.

_"Creepy bastard,"_ Vile comments, which just sends me into fits of hysteria.

When I calm down again I am in a very good mood and still grinning. Vile is observing me as I lean over and ignite the notebook. Just like Misa's notebook the flames turn blue and the wailing is terrible. I'm prepared for it this time, so it doesn't affect me nearly as much.

"So, Vile, what are you going to do next?" I ask him, and he regards me with narrowed eyes.

_"What am _I _going to do next? What about you?"_

"Do you want to find out?"

He's silent for a moment, and his talons twitch, _"… Yes."_

"Thought so," I'm terribly smug when I'm successful in reading him. "How about you and I become partners?"

_"Partners?"_ he bristles, but his tone is curious.

I give him my best all-knowing smirk, "That's why I'm not dead yet, after all."

_"I hate you."_

"No you don't."

We both laugh ourselves silly.

* * *

><p>The knock at my door is expected. "Come in, the door's unlocked," I call, a sense of deja-vu oddly making me pause. I ignore it as Ryuzaki lets himself in, glancing around my mostly empty apartment. It's small, just large enough for one person. It didn't take me long to find a suitable place to live, though it feels empty without someone else there with me.<p>

I put the mug that I'd been placing inside a cupboard down before going to lean on the doorframe, watching as he inspects the immediate surroundings. He tends to do that a lot, always taking in new information. He can't help himself.

"How are you doing?" he asks, finally making eye contact. He's unusually reserved today, and I know why. Tomorrow he'll be leaving the country to do who knows what who knows where. I don't even know if I'll see him again. We can stay in contact, but it has to be sparse and irregular, or we could risk both our lives.

"Just fine," I snort in amusement, "But it's a little weird so far. I don't think I'll ever be used to _domestic _ever again."

He chuckles, and we both ease back into the relaxed companionship we're used to. I make us some coffee (with heart-attack inducing amounts of sugar) and we just talk.

He's a little annoyed that I let slip to my cousin of my position, but agrees that it's my decision. I tell him that I'm keeping my Death Note and why (and he says he doesn't want to meet Vile). He tells me that he'll send me any cases that he thinks will interest me. We both have a good laugh at the reactions of people to my speech.

"You could come with us," he says abruptly, and I nearly shoot coffee out my nose. People need to stop talking when I drink coffee.

I study him with a slight frown, and he holds my gaze unflinchingly. I then give a sigh and a sad smile. "You know I can't."

"Why not?"

"There are people here who need me, I can't abandon them. We need to pick up the pieces of our lives."

The rain outside washes the light grey, but instead of dreary and clingy, it's refreshing. I have a window open (rain isn't coming in though) and the smell of ozone is oddly comforting. I've always liked the rain.

I walk around the counter to stand in front of L before I lean forward to envelop him in a hug. He doesn't move for a moment, but then he hugs me back, letting his chin rest on the top of my head. I can hear his heartbeat.

"If you ever need my help just give me a call, tell me where and when, and I'll be there, okay?" I say quietly.

I can almost feel his eyes widening. His long fingers are spread across my back, and he gives an almost unnoticeable nod. "Thank you," he breathes.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," I chuckle.

No matter what this new world, this new age, brings us, we're ready for it. Together we'll face what's heading our way. That's what friends are for.

"You're such a panda, Lawliet," I laugh and he protests indignantly.

It's what friends are for.

I feel more alive than I ever have before.

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So, once again, RED has come to a close. I dunno when CRIMSON will be back up, because I have to go over it a bunch and well ... my muse is not in Death Note at the moment. Maybe later, but not now. I have half a dozen projects open at the moment ... um ... well, six, maybe seven, with three of them on hiatus and another that's only for my own amusement and will rot on my computer, never seeing the light of the internet. I have to get CHB up and running again, I'm doing another for fun and another will be posted on dA because it's an original (and for fun).

So I'm forcing myself out of my writing-hiatus. I feel a lot better.

So, I'll probably post a quick AN as Chapter 35 when the time comes (eventually) to restart CRIMSON.

Also, I've been planning on starting another story in this universe that I'll call MAROON, which is based when Kurai is a child and her parents are still alive. It will focus on Vile and his relationship with her parents, as I've said before, there's more to that story than meets the eye. It'll be short and quick, and hopefully done by the end of summer, so September, MAYBE.

Thanks for reading, see you all later.

- DW


End file.
